Eriogonum ovalifolium var. nivale
Sierran cushion wild buckwheat, Sierran Cushion Wild Buckwheat
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Family: Polygonaceae · Type: Subshrub · Native
Eriogonum ovalifolium var. nivale (Sierran cushion wild buckwheat) is a native California subshrub in the Polygonaceae family, recognized by common variety distinguished by sandy habitat and broad elevation range.
Sierran cushion wild buckwheat is a native perennial found in the high Sierra Nevada, White and Inyo Mountains in sandy or gravelly alpine and subalpine habitats at elevations of 1,700 to 4,200 meters. Flowering from June to September, this plant produces white to rose or red flowers in compact clusters 1 to 2.5 centimeters wide. Growing as a low, dense cushion 0.5 to 3 meters in diameter with erect stems 3 to 5 centimeters tall covered in soft, felt-like tomentose hairs. Its small oval leaves are 2 to 8 millimeters long, densely woolly, with occasionally brownish margins. The compact, low-growing form of this buckwheat creates distinctive mounded cushions in high-elevation rocky alpine environments.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 80 sympatric species; common variety distinguished by sandy habitat and broad elevation range
Habitat and range
Habitat: Common. Sand or gravel
Elevation: 1700-4200 m
California counties: Inyo, Tuolumne, Tulare, Alpine, Mono, Madera, Fresno, Nevada, Modoc, Amador, Mariposa, Placer, Shasta, Stanislaus, El Dorado, Lassen, San Bernardino, Sierra
Outside California: to British Columbia, western Utah
Bloom period
Eriogonum ovalifolium var. nivale 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 ovalifolium var. nivale native to California?
Yes. Eriogonum ovalifolium var. nivale is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Eriogonum ovalifolium var. nivale bloom?
Eriogonum ovalifolium var. nivale blooms Jun-Sep.
Where in California does Eriogonum ovalifolium var. nivale grow?
Eriogonum ovalifolium var. nivale occurs in Inyo, Tuolumne, Tulare, Alpine, Mono, Madera, Fresno, Nevada and other counties, at elevations of 1700-4200 m.
What plant family does Eriogonum ovalifolium var. nivale belong to?
Eriogonum ovalifolium var. nivale is in the Polygonaceae family, genus Eriogonum.
What habitat does Eriogonum ovalifolium var. nivale grow in?
Eriogonum ovalifolium var. nivale grows in Common. Sand or gravel.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
- Eriogonum ovalifolium var. ovalifolium — Cushion wild buckwheat
- Eriogonum ovalifolium var. purpureum — Purple cushion wild buckwheat
- Eriogonum ovalifolium var. vineum — Cushenbury buckwheat
- Eriogonum palmerianum — Palmer's wild buckwheat
- Eriogonum panamintense — Panamint mountain wild buckwheat
- Eriogonum parishii — Parish'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.