Seedling
Seedlings from seed emerge in spring and early summer. Cotyledons are smooth, dark green, relatively large, long-petiolated, square to kidney-shaped, usually with a slight indentation at the apex. The margins of the cotyledons are entire, and the venation is whitish. No cotyledons are present when young plants emerge from established rhizomes.
Juvenile plant
Young leaves are bell-shaped (1.5-3.5 cm long), lobed at the base, and on petioles. Stems are smooth to slightly hairy and trail along the ground or climb on vegetation or other objects. Leaves are alternate, very similar to seedling leaves (4-6 cm long).
Mature plant
Leaf lobes point away from the petiole at the base.
Root structure description
Extensive and deep (10 m or more) rhizome system.
Flowers
Flowers, from June through September, are solitary or 2-flowered (occasionally to 5) in the leaf axils. The flower stalks are shorter than the leaves. Two small (3 mm long) leafy bracts are at the base of the flower. Petals are usually white, sometimes pink, and fused into a funnel-shaped tube, 1.2-2.5 cm long. The flowers open during early morning and close late in the day. The fruit is an egg-shaped to rounded capsule with 4 seeds. Seeds are large (3-4 mm long), rough, dull gray to brown or black with one rounded side and two flattened sides.
Post senescene
Dead stems remain twined around vegetation or other objects.
