Eriogonum giganteum
St. catherine's-lace
(c) Adam J. Searcy, some rights reserved (CC BY) · licence
Family: Polygonaceae · Type: Shrub · Native
Eriogonum giganteum (St. catherine's-lace) is a native California shrub in the Polygonaceae family, recognized by no sympatric species.
St. catherine's-lace is a California native shrub found in coastal southern California habitats at elevations of 100 to 1,000 meters. Flowering from June to September, this plant produces white to rose-colored flowers in large, delicate clusters up to 50 centimeters wide, creating an intricate, lace-like appearance. Growing with robust stems 3 to 6 feet tall, it develops a distinctive tomentose (woolly) texture that softens its structural form. Its leaves are broadly oval, 2 to 7 centimeters long and 1 to 5 centimeters wide, covered in a soft, grayish-white felt-like indumentum that gives the plant a silvery-gray aesthetic. The fruit is small, approximately 2 to 3.5 millimeters long, and develops after the spectacular floral display.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: Geographically isolated; no sympatric species
Habitat and range
California counties: Los Angeles, Inyo, San Bernardino, San Luis Obispo, Santa Clara, Santa Barbara, Monterey, Alameda, Contra Costa, Orange, San Diego
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 giganteum native to California?
Yes. Eriogonum giganteum is native to California (recorded as native).
Where in California does Eriogonum giganteum grow?
Eriogonum giganteum occurs in Los Angeles, Inyo, San Bernardino, San Luis Obispo, Santa Clara, Santa Barbara, Monterey, Alameda and other counties.
What plant family does Eriogonum giganteum belong to?
Eriogonum giganteum is in the Polygonaceae family, genus Eriogonum.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
- Eriogonum giganteum var. compactum — Santa barbara island buckwheat
- Eriogonum giganteum var. formosum — San clemente island buckwheat
- Eriogonum giganteum var. giganteum — Santa catalina island buckwheat
- Eriogonum gilmanii — Gilman's buckwheat
- Eriogonum glandulosum — Glandular wild buckwheat
- Eriogonum gossypinum — Cottony 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.