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Interior California Buckwheat

Eriogonum fasciultum var polifolium

true

1 gallon; 3 gallon

Interior California Buckwheat

In stock

2'x3'

Sizes:

Interior California Buckwheat – Eriogonum fasciculatum var. polifolium
Also known as: Eastern Mojave Buckwheat, Desert Buckwheat (regional usage)

Interior California Buckwheat is a smaller, grayer form of California Buckwheat found widely throughout the Colorado and Mojave Deserts, as well as the foothills and slopes of Southern California. This highly adaptable perennial shrub typically grows in dry slopes, washes, and canyons between 200 and 7,500 feet elevation, thriving in well-drained soils under full sun.

Reaching up to 3 feet tall and wide, it has narrow, gray-green to silvery-gray leaves that reflect light and help the plant tolerate intense desert heat. Its creamy white flower clusters rise above the foliage in airy masses from spring through summer, fading to rich rusty brown and often persisting into fall. The contrast between the silvery foliage and reddish dried blooms makes it visually striking across multiple seasons.

Interior Buckwheat is especially valuable for erosion control on slopes, habitat restoration, and sustainable landscaping. It is both heat and cold tolerant (down to -20°F), extremely drought-resistant once established, and low maintenance. Its structure and seasonal color make it useful in both naturalistic and formal native plant designs.

Wildlife Value
Interior California Buckwheat plays a vital role in local desert ecosystems, offering nectar throughout a long blooming season to a wide variety of pollinators and providing seeds and shelter that support birds and small mammals in both the Colorado and High Desert regions. Its dense structure also offers important habitat cover for wildlife year-round.

Host Plant: Bernardino Dotted-Blue (Euphilotes bernardino); Lupine Blue (Icaricia lupini); Behr's Metalmark (Apodemia virgulti); Mormon Metalmark (Apodemia mormo deserti); Gorgon Copper (Lycaena gorgon); Juniper Hairstreak (Callophrys gryneus); Bramble Hairstreak (Callophrys perplexa); Acmon Blue (Plebejus acmon); Desert Metalmark (Calephelis rawsoni); Electra Buckmoth (Hemileuca electra)

Nectar Source: Lorquin's Admiral (Limenitis lorquini); Becker's White (Pontia beckerii); Checkered White (Pontia protodice); Great Purple Hairstreak (Atlides halesus); Hedgerow Hairstreak (Callophrys mossii); Bramble Hairstreak (Callophrys perplexa); Gray Hairstreak (Strymon melinus); Marine Blue (Leptotes marina); Reakirt's Blue (Echinargus isola); Spring Azure (Celastrina ladon); Lupine Blue (Icaricia lupini); Common Sootywing (Pholisora catullus); Northern White-Skipper (Heliopetes ericetorum); Monarch (Danaus plexippus)

Bird Resources: Nectar; Seeds; Caterpillars; Insects

Bird Species: Lesser Goldfinch (Spinus psaltria); White-crowned Sparrow (Zonotrichia leucophrys); Brewer’s Sparrow (Spizella breweri) — and other seed-eating birds

Bees: Attracts honeybees (Apis mellifera) and numerous native bees, including specialist buckwheat bees (Eriogonum-specialist species) native to the Colorado and Mojave Deserts

Plant Care

Native region:

Local Native; Mojave Desert

Water needs:

Low

Exposure:

Full Sun

Mature size:

2'x3'

Growth rate:

Slow; Moderate

Flower color:

Cream; Pink; White

Flower season:

Summer

Pruning:

None

Cold Hardiness:

20 Degrees

Nectar-producing:

Yes

Attracts pollinators:

Yes

Nighttime pollinators:

Butterflies or Moths:

Yes

Monarchs:

Yes

Larval host:

Yes

Bees:

Yes

Bats:

Birds:

Yes

Nest site:

Nest materials:

Rabbit-resistant:

Tortoises:

Yes

Growing Plants in the Desert — Important Information

The information presented here is, to the best of my knowledge, accurate and based on reliable research, personal experience in my own garden, observations from other gardens I’ve visited, and time spent studying plants in their native habitats. I always welcome your feedback and experiences to help me continue educating others!

Cacti:
In my experience, cacti are much happier in filtered shade here in the low desert of the Coachella Valley. Their colors are more vibrant and they tend to bloom more profusely, especially the non-native varieties. If you look closely at how our native barrel cactus and beavertail prickly pear grow in the wild, you’ll often find them tucked among rocks or beneath the shelter of creosote and other shrubs.

⚠️ A note of caution: Cacti and succulents are often illegally collected from the wild, which not only damages plant populations but also disturbs entire ecosystems. In some cases, wild populations of cacti have even gone extinct because of this practice. When purchasing these plants, always be sure they’ve been legally obtained. Look for nursery-grown stock or plants with a native plant certification, and keep that documentation for your records.

Light Requirements:
In our desert (Sonoran/Colorado), “full sun” doesn’t always mean what you might think. Many so-called full-sun plants benefit from and actually appreciate some late-afternoon filtered light—especially during the intense summer months.