Eriogonum ursinum
Bear buckwheat
(c) Matt Berger, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Matt Berger · licence
Family: Polygonaceae · Type: Subshrub · Native
Eriogonum ursinum (Bear buckwheat) is a native California subshrub in the Polygonaceae family.
Bear buckwheat is a California native perennial found in rocky or gravelly areas of montane and subalpine habitats at elevations between 1,500 to 2,500 meters. Flowering from July to September, this plant produces cream to pale yellow flowers, often blushed with pink-red or maroon, in compact clusters 1 to 5 centimeters wide. Growing as a low-spreading mat to 8 meters in diameter, it develops thin stems to 40 centimeters tall that are sparsely hairy. Its basal leaves are small, measuring 0.7 to 2 centimeters long, with a soft, woolly texture on the underside and appearing gray-green. The fruit is a small, mostly glabrous achene 3 to 8 millimeters long, contributing to its distinctive ground-hugging growth form.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: Geographically isolated - no sympatric species
Habitat and range
California counties: Butte, Shasta, Nevada, Plumas, Sierra, Lassen, Placer, Alpine, El Dorado, Tehama, Trinity, Del Norte, Siskiyou
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 ursinum native to California?
Yes. Eriogonum ursinum is native to California (recorded as native).
Where in California does Eriogonum ursinum grow?
Eriogonum ursinum occurs in Butte, Shasta, Nevada, Plumas, Sierra, Lassen, Placer, Alpine and other counties.
What plant family does Eriogonum ursinum belong to?
Eriogonum ursinum is in the Polygonaceae family, genus Eriogonum.
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.