Eriogonum nudum var. auriculatum
Ear-shaped wild buckwheat, Ear-Shaped Wild Buckwheat
Photo: parent species Eriogonum nudum · no rights reserved · CC0
Family: Polygonaceae · Type: Subshrub · Native
Eriogonum nudum var. auriculatum (Ear-shaped wild buckwheat) is a native California subshrub in the Polygonaceae family.
Ear-shaped wild buckwheat is a California native perennial found in northwestern and central western California in sandy or gravelly habitats at elevations below 1,200 meters. Flowering from May to October, this plant produces delicate white to pink flowers, occasionally with a yellowish cast, in open branching clusters up to 80 centimeters wide. Growing 50 to 150 centimeters tall with slender, occasionally slightly inflated stems that are smooth or minimally hairy, it forms an airy, open structure. Its leaves are soft and woolly on the undersides, measuring 3 to 8 centimeters long and 2 to 4 centimeters wide, with upper surfaces appearing mostly smooth. The plant's expansive, loose flower clusters and soft-textured leaves make it a distinctive member of the wild buckwheat family.
Habitat and range
Habitat: Common. Sand or gravel
Elevation: < 1200 m
California counties: San Mateo, Santa Cruz, Stanislaus, Napa, Monterey, Santa Clara, Alameda, Contra Costa, Sonoma, Marin, Humboldt, Lake, Kern, San Benito, Shasta, Merced, Santa Barbara, San Francisco, San Luis Obispo, Solano, Colusa, El Dorado
Bloom period
Eriogonum nudum var. auriculatum blooms May-Oct.
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 var. auriculatum native to California?
Yes. Eriogonum nudum var. auriculatum is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Eriogonum nudum var. auriculatum bloom?
Eriogonum nudum var. auriculatum blooms May-Oct.
Where in California does Eriogonum nudum var. auriculatum grow?
Eriogonum nudum var. auriculatum occurs in San Mateo, Santa Cruz, Stanislaus, Napa, Monterey, Santa Clara, Alameda, Contra Costa and other counties, at elevations of < 1200 m.
What plant family does Eriogonum nudum var. auriculatum belong to?
Eriogonum nudum var. auriculatum is in the Polygonaceae family, genus Eriogonum.
What habitat does Eriogonum nudum var. auriculatum grow in?
Eriogonum nudum var. auriculatum grows in Common. Sand or gravel.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
- 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
- Eriogonum nudum var. oblongifolium — Harford's 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.