Eriogonum elatum
Tall buckwheat
(c) John Brew, some rights reserved (CC BY) · licence
Family: Polygonaceae · Type: Subshrub · Native
Eriogonum elatum (Tall buckwheat) is a native California subshrub in the Polygonaceae family.
Tall buckwheat is a California native perennial found in rocky or dry habitats at elevations of 1,500 to 2,500 meters. Flowering from July to September, this plant produces delicate white flowers in clusters 15 to 50 centimeters long with slender, occasionally branching stems. Growing 4 to 8 decimeters tall with occasionally inflated stems that are glabrous or slightly hairy, it develops a distinctive spreading form. Its basal leaves are notable for their large size, measuring 4 to 15 centimeters long and 1.5 to 6 centimeters wide, with a distinctly hairy surface. The small white flowers, each 2.5 to 4 millimeters long with obovate perianth lobes, are arranged in compact involucres that create intricate flowering clusters.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 0 sympatric species - geographically isolated
Habitat and range
California counties: Lassen, Mono, Siskiyou, Modoc, Nevada, Trinity, Plumas, Sierra, Placer
How to tell it apart
vs Adenostoma: Eriogonum has flowers in cup-like involucres; Adenostoma has tiny white rose-family flowers in spikes.; vs Salvia: Eriogonum has six similar perianth parts; Salvia has two-lipped tubular flowers.; vs Fagopyrum: Eriogonum has flowers in involucred clusters; Fagopyrum has loose branching sprays without involucres.; vs Artemisia: Eriogonum has cup-surrounded flower clusters; Artemisia has tiny inconspicuous heads in drooping sprays.; vs Chorizanthe: Eriogonum has multiple flowers per involucre; Chorizanthe has one flower per involucre with spiny teeth.
Frequently asked questions
Is Eriogonum elatum native to California?
Yes. Eriogonum elatum is native to California (recorded as native).
Where in California does Eriogonum elatum grow?
Eriogonum elatum occurs in Lassen, Mono, Siskiyou, Modoc, Nevada, Trinity, Plumas, Sierra and other counties.
What plant family does Eriogonum elatum belong to?
Eriogonum elatum is in the Polygonaceae family, genus Eriogonum.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
- Eriogonum elatum var. elatum — Tall wild buckwheat
- Eriogonum elatum var. villosum — Tall woolly wild buckwheat
- Eriogonum elegans — Elegant wild buckwheat
- Eriogonum elongatum var. elongatum — Long-stem wild buckwheat
- Eriogonum eremicola — Wildrose canyon buckwheat
- Eriogonum esmeraldense var. esmeraldense — Esmeralda wild buckwheat
Sources: Jepson eFlora · Index of California Plant Names · CalPhotos
Last updated 2026-10-07
Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Cal-IPC, and more.