Scientific Name

Eriogonum elongatum

Full Sun

Part Sun

Low

Max. Height × Width

4'x3'

More information

calscape.org

Price & Availability


Currently not available.

You’d be hard pressed to recognize Longstem Buckwheat as a member of the Eriogonum family in the spring. Instead of the more familiar, hard and spiky, needle-ish leaves characteristic of most California buckwheats, Eriogonum elongatum’s leaves are broad, soft and fleshy. Then there are those white, snaky “longstems” that emerge in late spring and summer, reaching up and out as if they’re about to grab something. It isn’t until the late summer, when the flower buds along these stems start to bloom, that it actually looks like a buckwheat, with tiny, pearlescent cream-to-pale pink flowers clustered in small, spherical clumps.

And it is those flowers that are, perhaps, the best reason to include this under-appreciated habitat plant in your garden. Long after the other Eriogonum species in your garden have finished flowering, Longstem Buckwheat will just be getting started. It’ll reliably supply a wide range of pollinators with sustenance from late summer through the end of fall – even into the beginning of winter – when they need it most.

Longstem Buckewheat is happiest in punishingly hot, full sun exposures and dry, rocky soil. Don’t bother watering it after it’s established. Just cut it back after flowering in late fall (if you can wait that long) to about 6-9” stubs. With a little rain or supplemental water, it’ll quickly respond with a flush of new leaves, starting the whole intriguing cycle over again.

Drawing of plant with berries

Bitter Gooseberry

Ribes amarum

flowers

Blue Dicks

Dipterostemon (Dichelostemma) capitatus

Drawing of plant with berries

Blue Elderberry

Sambucus nigra ssp. caerulea

Blue Wildrye

Elymus glaucus

Branching Phacelia

Phacelia ramosissima

Brickell Bush

Brickellia californica

California Aster

Corethrogyne filaginifolia

California Aster

Corethrogyne filaginifolia

Drawing of plant

California Four O’Clock

Mirabilis laevis var. crassifolia

California Fuchsia

Epilobium canum ssp. canum

California Prickly Phlox

Linanthus californicus

Drawing of plant

Canyon Dudleya

Dudleya cymosa

Drawing of plant

Cardinal Catchfly

Silene laciniata

Caterpillar Phacelia

Phacelia cicutaria

Drawing of plant with acorn

Coast Live Oak

Quercus agrifolia

Coast Prickly Pear

Opuntia littoralis

Illustration of plant in planter

Coffeeberry

Frangula californica

Drawing of plant

Fiesta Flower

Pholistoma auritum

Drawing of plant with handing flowers

Fuchsiaflower Gooseberry

Ribes speciosum

Drawing of plant

Hollyleaf Redberry

Rhamnus ilicifolia

Drawing of plant with feathery flowers

Mountain Mahogany

Cercocarpus betuloides

Drawing of plant

Poison Oak

Toxicodendron diversilobum

Drawing of plant

Punch Bowl Godetia

Clarkia bottae

Rooreh

Claytonia perfoliata

Drawing of plant

Round Leafed Boykinia

Boykinia rotundifolia

Sacred Datura

Datura wrightii

Drawing of plant

Santa Barbara Honeysuckle

Lonicera subspicata var. denudata

Illustration of plant in planter

Saw-Toothed Goldenbush

Hazardia squarrosa var. grindelioides

Drawing of plant

Scarlet Larkspur

Delphinium cardinale

Silver Puffs

Uropappus lindleyi

Drawing of plant

Soap Plant

Chloroglaum pomeridianum

Drawing of plant

Southern Bush Monkeyflower

Diplacus longiflorus

Drawing of plant with berries

Southern California Black Walnut

Juglans californica

Drawing of plant with spotted flowers

Spotted Humboldt’s Lily

Lilium humboldtii ssp. ocellatum

Sunflower

Helianthus annuus

Threadleaf Ragwort

Senecio flaccidus

Drawing of plant with berries

Toyon

Heteromeles arbutifolia

Drawing of plant

Western Columbine

Aquilegia formosa

Drawing of plant

Western Wallflower

Erysimum capitatum

Wild Heliotrope