California Buckwheat (Eriogonum fasciculatum)

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Eriogonum fasiculatum in the Fall.

Buckwheats are among the very toughest of plants and are commonly found in desert communities of shrub/chaparral plants, and on dry slopes and desert washes. Its a member of the Polygonaceae Family, a large one with 50 genera and 1100 species.  Some other notable members are Rhubarb and Sorrel, neither of which share the toughness quality of the California Buckwheat.

Desert buckwheats thrive in hot and dry conditions, and E. fasciculatum is also very cold tolerant. It can be found above 4,000 ft. in elevation.

It took me awhile to warm up to this plant, primarily because it wasn’t very showy.  But you have to love a plant that provides greenery in your garden for free; that is, no water required, even in the desert.  Days of temperatures in excess of 100º F do not kill it.

It sends up little white flower balls with pink/red tinges with regularity (that is, every year). In the late summer and fall, the stems and flowers turn a dark, rusty red that glows in the late-day sun.  They dot the countryside, adding color and habitat for small desert critters.  I finally decided to love it for these reasons, for the habitat it provides, AND because there is a variety in the commercial nursery trade that has pink flowers that look very sweet in one’s garden.  Once again, it’s tough to kill this plant.

The addition of wildlife habitat shouldn’t be undervalued.  Lizards, quail, and other small critters use it both as an escape from predators and as a sunshade.  When it forms large clumps, they can disappear into it with ease.

Starting Buckwheats From Seed

Eriogonum fasiculatum is surprisingly easy to sprout and seed is normally readily available. As a newly sprouted seedling, it is also enduring when other seedlings fall to typical seedling diseases. Even as a young plant, it does not need excessive water. That is to say, when a seedling is tiny(!) you need to water it frequently, not letting it dry out completely. It never wants to be wet or sitting in water, but regular, light waterings of seedlings will encourage them to grow to nice big plants. (This is true for most seedlings.) Plant fresh seeds in the early spring and give them bright light. Full sun is fine if you intend to keep them watered. If you’re forgetful or don’t get to the garden that much, give it fewer hours of sun or perhaps weaker sun (east or west exposure), rather than a south exposure.

The USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service reports that it can be weedy, and thus, may need management.  If you’re gardening in the desert, that wouldn’t be a problem, and, if it were, it would be one that could easily be resolved — just trim it down, move it, or pull it out.

Like a lot of natives, Buckwheats may not be the focal point in the garden, but they provide texture, color, and habitat, and as such are great plants!