Eriogonum nudum
Naked buckwheat
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Family: Polygonaceae · Type: Subshrub · Native
Eriogonum nudum (Naked buckwheat) is a native California subshrub in the Polygonaceae family.
Naked buckwheat is a California native perennial found in varied habitats across the state's mountainous regions at elevations ranging from low to moderate terrain. Flowering from July to September, this plant produces delicate white to pink or yellow flowers in open, branching clusters up to 1 meter wide. Growing with slender stems 15 to 50 centimeters tall, it develops a low-spreading form with a compact diameter of 15 to 30 centimeters. Its basal leaves are distinctive, measuring 1 to 6 centimeters long, with a soft, woolly texture on the undersides and varying from densely hairy to occasionally smooth. The fruit is small, measuring 1.5 to 3.5 millimeters long, and contributes to the plant's delicate, airy appearance.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: Geographically isolated species
Habitat and range
California counties: Kern, Sierra, Fresno, Lake, Mono, Inyo, Los Angeles, Tulare, San Bernardino, Riverside, Ventura, Shasta, El Dorado, Alpine, Placer, Santa Cruz, Plumas, Siskiyou, Marin, Trinity, Modoc, Sacramento, Amador, Humboldt, Solano, Mendocino, Tehama, San Mateo, Lassen, Santa Clara, Madera, Tuolumne, Monterey, Mariposa, Del Norte, San Luis Obispo, Napa, Santa Barbara, Nevada, San Diego, Kings, Contra Costa, Colusa, Alameda, Yolo, Stanislaus, Butte, San Benito
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 nudum native to California?
Yes. Eriogonum nudum is native to California (recorded as native).
Where in California does Eriogonum nudum grow?
Eriogonum nudum occurs in Kern, Sierra, Fresno, Lake, Mono, Inyo, Los Angeles, Tulare and other counties.
What plant family does Eriogonum nudum belong to?
Eriogonum nudum is in the Polygonaceae family, genus Eriogonum.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
- Eriogonum nudum var. auriculatum — Ear-shaped wild buckwheat
- Eriogonum nudum var. decurrens — Ben lomond buckwheat
- Eriogonum nudum var. deductum — Reduced wild buckwheat
- Eriogonum nudum var. indictum — Protruding buckwheat
- Eriogonum nudum var. murinum — Mouse buckwheat
- Eriogonum nudum var. nudum — Naked wild 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.