Eriogonum incanum
Frosted wild buckwheat
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Family: Polygonaceae · Type: Subshrub · Native
Eriogonum incanum (Frosted wild buckwheat) is a native California subshrub in the Polygonaceae family, recognized by dioecious condition and high elevation habitat diagnostic.
Frosted wild buckwheat is a California native perennial found in the Sierra Nevada Mountains in sandy habitats at elevations of 2,100 to 4,000 meters. Flowering from June to September, this plant produces yellow flowers in compact heads 1 to 2 centimeters wide. Growing as a low spreading mat 1 to 4 meters in diameter with tomentose (woolly) stems 10 to 20 centimeters tall, it forms dense ground-covering clusters. Its basal leaves are small and woolly, measuring 5 to 15 millimeters long and 3 to 7 millimeters wide, with a distinctive frosted gray-green appearance. The fruit is 3 to 3.5 millimeters long, with a sparsely hairy tip and often accompanied by reddish perianth lobes.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 67 sympatric species; dioecious condition and high elevation habitat diagnostic
Habitat and range
Habitat: Common. Sand
Elevation: (1900)2100-4000 m
California counties: Mariposa, Mono, Fresno, El Dorado, Tulare, San Bernardino, Madera, Inyo, Tuolumne, Plumas, Alpine, Nevada, Amador, Kern, Los Angeles, Placer, Sierra
Outside California: west-central Nevada
Bloom period
Eriogonum incanum blooms Jun-Sep.
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 incanum native to California?
Yes. Eriogonum incanum is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Eriogonum incanum bloom?
Eriogonum incanum blooms Jun-Sep.
Where in California does Eriogonum incanum grow?
Eriogonum incanum occurs in Mariposa, Mono, Fresno, El Dorado, Tulare, San Bernardino, Madera, Inyo and other counties, at elevations of (1900)2100-4000 m.
What plant family does Eriogonum incanum belong to?
Eriogonum incanum is in the Polygonaceae family, genus Eriogonum.
What habitat does Eriogonum incanum grow in?
Eriogonum incanum grows in Common. Sand.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
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.