Eriogonum fasciculatum (California Buckwheat)

Photographs

My photos:

From Caspers Wilderness Park, Orange County, California, in January.

The photo below is from Torrey Pines, in March - a much livelier looking plant.

More photos:

CSUPomona in bloom.

click photo to enlarge

Plant Information

Polygonaceae

In the garden:

Eriogonum fasciculatum is a low, spreading shrub, with branched, leafy stems which are plus or minus decumbent and are up to 3 feet long. The latin word fasciculatum translates to mean ‘bundles;’ this describes the growth habits of both the leaves and flowers. Flowers are yellow or white to pinkish and appear from May to October. The flowers fade to a rusty brown. The flower is popularly used in floral arrangements. It is excellent in front of Chaparral shrubs in a garden and is a great groundcover. It is a good erosion control plant. Also, it is useful to cover dry banks, to mass among rocks, or in rock gardens. It does best in full sun and will withstand wind and heat well. It thrives in a well-drained, loose, and gravelly soil. Once established, this drought-tolerant shrub requires little water; none near the coast. This shrub is a favorite of bees. The plant looks better in a garden than in its native habitat.

In the wild:

Found on dry slopes and canyons near the immediate coast; other subspecies are found throughout the west. It is quite common to the hills of the Chaparral Plant Community;

Ethnobotany:

Native people used the flowers as an eyewash and as a mild remedy for diarrhea. The older leaves were used in a decoction for stomach ailments. The shoots and seeds were used for food.

Field Trips
Anza Borrego Caspers Holy Jim Canyon Idyllwild
Joshua Tree Mt Palomar Rancho Santa Ana Torrey Pines

Index
Home