Meet the Wild Buckwheats

“In the garden, few plants can equal Eriogonum for sheer habitat value.”

~Mike Evans

Buckwheats belong to one of the most robust native plant families and evoke images of original California landscapes with their tawny tans, dark pinks, and rusty hues and long blooming season. Often found growing in masses on rocky hillsides or along dusty country roads, more than 125 species call our state their home. Not related to the buckwheat grain cultivated and used for flour and pancakes (Fagopyrum esculentum), native buckwheat belongs to the large genus Eriogonum in the Polygonaceae family.  They range in colors from whites and creams to pinks, reds and chocolates, and from low-growing and compact to shrubby and waist high. And luckily for the home gardener, many varieties are available at native plant nurseries and can be easily incorporated into sunny, well-drained areas of a butterfly garden and drought-tolerant landscape.

Once you learn to identify the distinctive characteristics of buckwheats, you will be surprised by their wide distribution and diversity in our local costal sage scrub and oak woodlands. Next to hiking in the foothills, my favorite viewing spot is from the passenger seat of our car, driving on Hwy 101 between Santa Maria and Goleta, especially the graded hillsides just west of Refugio Beach. These steep rocky slopes on either side of the highway are generously covered with several different buckwheat varieties, clearly showing masses of flowers as they turn from creamy whites and pinks in the spring, to rusty reds and browns in the late summer, contrasting nicely with their understated grey-green foliage. More buckwheats can be seen growing in disturbed areas next to the asphalt and gravel, providing for interesting contrasts with the wild grasses and sages.

The amazing Channel Islands are home to numerous buckwheats, including the giant of its genus, Saint Catherine’s lace (E. giganteum) often seen covered in a mass of delicate snowy white flower heads. The flowers are often used in dried arrangements and keep their color for several years. Growing 4 to 8 feet tall and wide, they can be a focal point in a border or even a large container.

An exception to the rule about common buckwheat colors, saffron buckwheat has a striking sulfur-yellow blooms from April through August, with bright silver-grey foliage. Any buckwheat fan will want to include this petite variety, also called Conejo buckwheat, into their garden, and it looks best in a rock garden or in the front of a perennial border. In the wild, this plant is found only in the Conejo Valley of Ventura County, and is a California ‘endemic’, meaning that it only grows in that area. By propagating seeds collected from these rare natives, botanists help ensure that endemics do not become extinct through habitat loss, climate change, or disease.  Growers then make these plants available to the public, and the home gardener can contribute to the continued survival of a tiny but vital links to a healthy environment. Be sure to visit the upcoming Santa Barbara Botanic Garden’s fall plant sale in October for a fantastic selection.

As with all native plants, they provide a valuable service as food, nectar, and refuge for wildlife. Even more importantly, they provide a vital life line for the local insects, birds, reptiles and mammals that have evolved to rely exclusively on a particular species or variety. For example, the tiny (less than one inch wing span) Western Square-dotted Blue (Euphilotes battoides) butterfly spends its entire life around the California buckwheat (E. fasciculatum). Males patrol all day near host plants to find receptive females. Eggs are laid singly on host plant flowers; caterpillars eat flowers and fruits, and are protected by ants. Chrysalids hibernate in sand or leaf litter, and emerge to spread their wings and look for more delicious buckwheats. 

If you find the natural world to be a source of inspiration and interest, you should consider becoming a UCCE California Naturalist (http://calnat.ucanr.edu).  The certification introduces students to the wonders of the California Central Coast region’s unique ecology and engages volunteers in the stewardship of our natural communities. The next Naturalist training program will held on Wednesdays from 4:00 – 7:30 pm, October 1 through December 10, with classes and field trips at the Santa Barbara Botanic Garden, Sedgwick Reserve, and other locations through the county.