California Buckwheats

Native Buckwheats work in a native garden as babies breath does in a floral arrangement. They are some of the most popular nectar sources for butterflies. Blues and hairstreaks especially like buckwheats and many of these species suffer from dwindling habitat. Their flowers seem to last forever, turning a chocolate color in the fall. They are very drought tolerant and can tolerate many arid environments as well as coastal salt spray. (some coastal species)

Eriogonum arborescens, Santa Cruz Island Buckwheat Description/Order

Santa Cruz island buckwheat has lite pink flower cluster that turn chocolate in winter. It forms a tidy bush with erect foliage and sprawling branches. It can tolerate seaside conditions as well as the hot and dry climate of the interior. Santa Cruz island buckwheat is very drought tolerant. It is very popular with hairstreaks and blues.(butterflies)

Eriogonum cinereum Description/Order

E. cinereum is a coastal buckwheat with gray foliage. It can tolerate seaside conditions.

Eriogonum elongatum Description/Order

E. elongatum has long slender gray flower stalks with small delicate pink flowers. It is very drought tolerant.

Eriogonum fasciculatum foliolosum, California Buckwheat Description/Order

California buckwheat is very drought tolerant. The buds are pinkish and turn white when they open. They cluster in tight little balls on long stalks and turn a chocolate brown in the fall. It has green foliage.

Many little animals and birds use it for cover. Coppers blues and hair streaks use it for nectar. It grows in the chaparral in very dry hot conditions.

The above picture and the background of this page are both E. fasc. fol.

Eriogonum fasciculatum polifolium, Interior California Buckwheat Description/Order

Interior California buckwheat is similar to regular California buckwheat but it is more drought tolerant and has grayer foliage. In the photo here it is mixed with Salvia pachyphylla and other desert species and is quite happy.

Eriogonum giganteum, St. Catherine's Lace Description/Order

This is California's largest buckwheat, in flower at least. It has huge flower clusters often more than a foot wide. It has large gray foliage and grows about three foot tall and three foot high. Although it is at home in coastal conditions it also does fine in California's hot dry interior valleys. It is very drought tolerant.

Eriogonum grande rubescens, Red Buckwheat Description/Order

This pink buckwheat is found on the islands. It can tolerate coastal conditions. However, it also does well in the interior of California only needing part shade to survive the hot dry summers. It has nice round leaves and very pink flowers. It looks great in a rock wall. It is smaller and more delicate than many of the other buckwheat, only growing about a foot tall.

Eriogonum latifolium, Coast Buckwheat Description/Order

This coastal buckwheat has tall open flower stalks and gray basal leaves. It is similar to E. grande rubescens but opener and grayer with white flowers.

Eriogonum parvifolium, Cliff Buckwheat

Description/Order

A bushy coastal buckwheat that does well under seaside conditions. Cliff Buckwheat has pinkish flowers and gray foliage. It also does well in clay and in hotter areas.

Eriogonum umbellatum, Sulfur Flower Description/Order

Sulfur buckwheat is very low growing, only a few inches tall, and very yellow. It grows at high elevations, over 4000 ft, and likes good drainage. It does well in the Santa Margarita nursery garden in decomposed granite and 110 deg. summers.

Eriogonum umbellatum chlorothamnus, Shrub Sulphur Buckwheat Description/Order

Shrub Sulphur Buckwheat is similar to E. umb. But it grows 1 to 3 ft tall. It also does well at high elevations. It has grayer foliage than the other two subspecies here. It like good drainage.

Eriogonum umbellatum polyanthum, Shasta Buckwheat Description/Order

Shasta Buckwheat is a very tidy, low growing buckwheat, with bright yellow sulfur colored flowers. It likes good drainage and can't tolerate clay. It is fairly hardy and can tolerate our hot dry summers.

Eriogonum ursinum, Mat buckwheat Description/Order

This is a really low growing buckwheat great for a rock garden. It has very small crinkly leaves on spreading branches that cling to the rocky outcroppings they like to inhabit. It has white to yellow flowers.

Other Las Pilitas links:

Native Plant Nurseries - California Plants - Garden Fun - Help - Extreme Gardens - Wildlife - Plant Communities - How to do- garden ideas - Class Notes