Eriogonum heermannii var. heermannii
Heermann's wild buckwheat, Heermann's Wild Buckwheat
Photo: parent species Eriogonum heermannii · (c) Matt Berger, some rights reserved (CC BY) · licence
Family: Polygonaceae · Type: Shrub · Native
Eriogonum heermannii var. heermannii (Heermann's wild buckwheat) is a native California shrub in the Polygonaceae family, recognized by size and habitat diagnostic.
Heermann's wild buckwheat is a California native shrub found in southern Sierra Nevada, Tehachapi, southeastern Coast Ranges, and northern Transverse Ranges, particularly in Kern and San Luis Obispo counties, growing in gravelly habitats at elevations of 900 to 1,700 meters. Flowering from May to November, this plant produces delicate yellow-white flowers in compact clusters up to 25 centimeters wide. Growing as a rounded shrub 50 to 150 centimeters tall with a spread of 60 to 150 centimeters, it develops a distinctive branching structure. Its leaves are small and narrow, measuring 5 to 15 millimeters long and 2 to 6 millimeters wide, ranging from glabrous to slightly woolly in texture. The plant's involucres are tiny, measuring just 2 to 2.5 millimeters long, contributing to its delicate appearance.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 106 sympatric species; size and habitat diagnostic
Habitat and range
Habitat: Gravel
Elevation: 900-1700 m
California counties: Los Angeles, San Bernardino, Kern, Ventura, Inyo, San Luis Obispo
Bloom period
Eriogonum heermannii var. heermannii blooms May-Nov.
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 heermannii var. heermannii native to California?
Yes. Eriogonum heermannii var. heermannii is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Eriogonum heermannii var. heermannii bloom?
Eriogonum heermannii var. heermannii blooms May-Nov.
Where in California does Eriogonum heermannii var. heermannii grow?
Eriogonum heermannii var. heermannii occurs in Los Angeles, San Bernardino, Kern, Ventura, Inyo, San Luis Obispo, at elevations of 900-1700 m.
What plant family does Eriogonum heermannii var. heermannii belong to?
Eriogonum heermannii var. heermannii is in the Polygonaceae family, genus Eriogonum.
What habitat does Eriogonum heermannii var. heermannii grow in?
Eriogonum heermannii var. heermannii grows in Gravel.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
- Eriogonum heermannii var. humilius — Heermann's great basin wild buckwheat
- Eriogonum heermannii var. occidentale — Western heermann's buckwheat
- Eriogonum heermannii var. sulcatum — Heermann's grooved wild buckwheat
- Eriogonum heracleoides var. heracleoides — Parsnip-flowered buckwheat
- Eriogonum hirtellum — Klamath mountain buckwheat
- Eriogonum hirtiflorum — Hairy-flower wild buckwheat
Sources: Jepson eFlora · Index of California Plant Names · CalPhotos
Last updated 2026-10-08
Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Cal-IPC, and more.