Eriogonum heracleoides var. heracleoides
Parsnip-flowered buckwheat
Thayne Tuason (via Wikimedia Commons) · CC BY-SA
Family: Polygonaceae · Type: Subshrub · Native
Conservation status: CNPS 4.3
Eriogonum heracleoides var. heracleoides (Parsnip-flowered buckwheat) is a native California subshrub in the Polygonaceae family, recognized by large spoon-shaped petals diagnostic.
Parsnip-flowered buckwheat is a California native perennial found in western California in sandy to gravelly habitats at elevations of 600 to 3,100 meters. Flowering from May to September, this plant produces white to cream or yellow-white flowers in delicate clusters with spoon-shaped perianth lobes. Growing as a low spreading mat one to six decimeters tall and two to ten decimeters wide, it develops tomentose stems with leaf-like bracts near the middle. Its basal leaves are grayish and woolly, with blades two to five centimeters long and rarely more than one centimeter wide. The plant forms a compact, low-growing form with distinctive white to cream flowers that emerge from tomentose branches.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 45 sympatric species; large spoon-shaped petals diagnostic
Habitat and range
Habitat: Locally common. Sand to gravel
Elevation: (300)600-3100 m
California counties: Modoc, El Dorado, Butte
Outside California: to British Columbia, Montana, Colorado
Bloom period
Eriogonum heracleoides var. heracleoides blooms May-Sep.
Conservation status
CNPS 4.3
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 heracleoides var. heracleoides native to California?
Yes. Eriogonum heracleoides var. heracleoides is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Eriogonum heracleoides var. heracleoides bloom?
Eriogonum heracleoides var. heracleoides blooms May-Sep.
Where in California does Eriogonum heracleoides var. heracleoides grow?
Eriogonum heracleoides var. heracleoides occurs in Modoc, El Dorado, Butte, at elevations of (300)600-3100 m.
What plant family does Eriogonum heracleoides var. heracleoides belong to?
Eriogonum heracleoides var. heracleoides is in the Polygonaceae family, genus Eriogonum.
Is Eriogonum heracleoides var. heracleoides rare or endangered?
Eriogonum heracleoides var. heracleoides carries California Rare Plant Rank 4.3, state rank S3.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
- Eriogonum hirtellum — Klamath mountain buckwheat
- Eriogonum hirtiflorum — Hairy-flower wild buckwheat
- Eriogonum hoffmannii — Hoffmann's buckwheat
- Eriogonum hoffmannii var. hoffmannii — Hoffmann's buckwheat
- Eriogonum hoffmannii var. robustius — Robust hoffmann's buckwheat
- Eriogonum hookeri — Hooker'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.