Eriogonum grande
Island buckwheat
(c) Diego Maldonado de la Torre, some rights reserved (CC BY) · licence
Family: Polygonaceae · Type: Shrub · Native
Eriogonum grande (Island buckwheat) is a native California shrub in the Polygonaceae family, recognized by no sympatric species.
Island buckwheat is a California native perennial found on the Channel Islands in coastal scrub and bluff habitats at elevations near sea level. Flowering from June to September, this plant produces white to pink or rose-colored flowers in large, spreading clusters 20 to 100 centimeters wide. Growing as a low-spreading mat or subshrub to 15 decimeters in diameter, it forms dense, rounded clumps with glabrous stems. Its basal leaves are tomentose, measuring 3 to 10 centimeters long and 2 to 6 centimeters wide, with soft, felt-like surfaces. The compact clusters of small flowers and distinctive mat-forming growth make this buckwheat a notable coastal plant.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: Geographically isolated; no sympatric species
Habitat and range
California counties: Santa Barbara, Ventura, Los Angeles
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 grande native to California?
Yes. Eriogonum grande is native to California (recorded as native).
Where in California does Eriogonum grande grow?
Eriogonum grande occurs in Santa Barbara, Ventura, Los Angeles.
What plant family does Eriogonum grande belong to?
Eriogonum grande is in the Polygonaceae family, genus Eriogonum.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
- Eriogonum grande var. grande — Island buckwheat
- Eriogonum grande var. rubescens — Red-flowered buckwheat
- Eriogonum grande var. timorum — San nicolas island buckwheat
- Eriogonum heermannii — Heerman buckwheat
- Eriogonum heermannii var. argense — Heermann's rough wild buckwheat
- Eriogonum heermannii var. floccosum — Clark mountain 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.