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Plant of the Month: Buckwheats

Turtle Bay

Senior Horticulturist and Nursery Specialist, Linda Russo next to Eriogonum giganteum Saint Catherine’s Lace, growing in the Nursery display garden

When asked who is her favorite plant “child” this month (having propagated thousands of plants over time), Senior Horticulturist and Nursery Specialist Linda Russo said without hesitation, “the buckwheats, the buckwheats are beautiful right now”.

Wild buckwheats or Eriogonum ssp., are not related to the culinary common buckwheat, Fagopyrum esculentum. The only similarity is the appearance of the bloom clusters. Wild buckwheats are drought-tolerant, come in a wide variety of shapes and sizes, as well as bloom colors, and are pollinator (including butterflies) magnets. A large proportion of them are also native to California.

Eriogonum giganteum Saint Catherine’s Lace foliage in a 1 gallon container at our Nursery.

Right now in Turtle Bay’s Arboretum & Botanical Garden’s Nursery there are eight species of drought-tolerant, native wild buckwheat perfect for local gardens. From the statuesque Eriogonum giganteum St. Catherine’s Lace at 4’ x 6’ (or larger) to the local wild Buckwheat at Turtle Bay Eriogonum nudum Naked Buckwheat (growing in the Arboretum Savannah) which has small basal rosettes of foliage and tall bare (naked) stems with small clusters of cream-white blooms on the top of each stem. Another local native, Sulphur Buckwheat Erigonum umbellatum

grows in areas around Redding, including spots along the Sacramento River Trail.

Eriogonum umbellatum Sulphur Buckwheat – another butterfly magnet!

Native wild buckwheats available in our Nursery now (see the updated inventory list along with growing information, at www.turtlebay.org/nusery ):

  1. Eriogonum arborescens Santa Cruz Island Buckwheat - CA Native

  2. Eriogonum fasciculatum California Buckwheat - CA Native

  3. Eriogonum grande var, rubescens Red Buckwheat - CA Native

  4. Eriogonum giganteum Saint Catherine's Lace - CA Native

  5. Eriogonum latifolium Seaside Buckwheat - CA Native

  6. Eriogonum nudum Naked Buckwheat - CA Native

  7. Eriogonum parvifolium Seacliff Buckwheat - CA Native

  8. Eriogonum umbellatum Sulphur Buckwheat - CA Native

Caring for Eriogonum ssp. wild buckwheats:

  • Plant in well-draining soil. Gravelly soil is fine as long as it is well-draining.

  • If you don’t have well-draining soil, create small (or large) raised planting areas.

  • Water weekly until established (1-2 years), then sparingly as needed in summer.

    Gardening or plant questions? Email us at: gardens@turtlebay.org