Eriogonum roseum
Wand wild buckwheat
Photo by Chez Brungraber
Family: Polygonaceae · Type: Herb · Native
Eriogonum roseum (Wand wild buckwheat) is a native California herb in the Polygonaceae family, recognized by very wide distribution makes geographic separation difficult.
Wand wild buckwheat is a California native annual herb found in northwestern California, Sierra Nevada, eastern Sacramento Valley, San Joaquin Valley, central western California, and Tehachapi Range in sandy or gravelly habitats at elevations below 2,200 meters. Flowering from May to November, this plant produces delicate white to pink or red flowers occasionally with yellow tones, arranged in wide branching clusters up to 45 centimeters across. Growing with slender stems 15 to 80 centimeters tall that are sparsely hairy, it spreads its branches in an open, wandlike form. Its leaves are both basal and stem-based, with blades 1 to 5 centimeters long and generally covered in soft, woolly hairs. The tiny fruits are approximately 2 millimeters long, completing the plant's compact and intricate structure.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 158 sympatric species; very wide distribution makes geographic separation difficult
Habitat and range
Habitat: Common. Sand or gravel
Elevation: < 2200 m
California counties: Contra Costa, Kern, Tuolumne, Tulare, San Luis Obispo, Monterey, Los Angeles, Fresno, Lake, San Benito, Madera, Butte, Mariposa, Santa Barbara, El Dorado, Inyo, Santa Clara, Stanislaus, Siskiyou, Ventura, Trinity, Humboldt, Mono, Solano, Alameda, Tehama, San Joaquin, Merced, San Bernardino, Amador, Del Norte, Napa, Nevada, Placer, Sonoma, Sutter, Calaveras, Sacramento, Mendocino, Kings, San Diego, Riverside
Outside California: southern Oregon, northern Baja California
Bloom period
Eriogonum roseum blooms May-Nov.
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 roseum native to California?
Yes. Eriogonum roseum is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Eriogonum roseum bloom?
Eriogonum roseum blooms May-Nov.
Where in California does Eriogonum roseum grow?
Eriogonum roseum occurs in Contra Costa, Kern, Tuolumne, Tulare, San Luis Obispo, Monterey, Los Angeles, Fresno and other counties, at elevations of < 2200 m.
What plant family does Eriogonum roseum belong to?
Eriogonum roseum is in the Polygonaceae family, genus Eriogonum.
What habitat does Eriogonum roseum grow in?
Eriogonum roseum grows in Common. Sand or gravel.
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.