Eriogonum grande var. grande
Island buckwheat
Photo: parent species Eriogonum grande · (c) Diego Maldonado de la Torre, some rights reserved (CC BY) · licence
Family: Polygonaceae · Type: Shrub · Native
Conservation status: CNPS 4.2
Eriogonum grande var. grande (Island buckwheat) is a native California shrub in the Polygonaceae family.
Island buckwheat is a California native shrub found on San Miguel, Santa Cruz, Anacapa, Santa Catalina, and San Clemente islands in sandy coastal habitats at elevations below 300 meters. Flowering from March to October, this plant produces delicate white flowers in large, spreading inflorescences 20 to 100 centimeters wide. Growing as a subshrub 50 to 150 centimeters tall with often inflated stems that are smooth and glabrous, it develops a distinctive spreading form. Its leaves are tomentose underneath and nearly smooth on top, with blades 2 to 10 centimeters long and 2 to 6 centimeters wide. The plant is widely cultivated along the California coast and occasionally establishes itself beyond its native island habitats.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 0 sympatric species; geographically isolated to Channel Islands
Habitat and range
Habitat: Sand
Elevation: < 300 m
California counties: Ventura, Los Angeles, Santa Barbara, Santa Cruz
Bloom period
Eriogonum grande var. grande blooms Mar-Oct.
Conservation status
CNPS 4.2
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 var. grande native to California?
Yes. Eriogonum grande var. grande is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Eriogonum grande var. grande bloom?
Eriogonum grande var. grande blooms Mar-Oct.
Where in California does Eriogonum grande var. grande grow?
Eriogonum grande var. grande occurs in Ventura, Los Angeles, Santa Barbara, Santa Cruz, at elevations of < 300 m.
What plant family does Eriogonum grande var. grande belong to?
Eriogonum grande var. grande is in the Polygonaceae family, genus Eriogonum.
Is Eriogonum grande var. grande rare or endangered?
Eriogonum grande var. grande carries California Rare Plant Rank 4.2, state rank S4.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
- 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
- Eriogonum heermannii var. heermannii — Heermann's wild buckwheat
Sources: Jepson eFlora · CNPS Rare Plant Inventory · Index of California Plant Names · CalPhotos · CDFW CNDDB
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.