Wyeth Buckwheat

Eriogonum heracleoides

Polygonaceae

• Spokane Native
• Sun: Full sun
• Size: 12"-18" tall x 12"-18" inches wide
• Drought Tolerant: Yes
• Evergreen: Semi-evergreen
• Flower Color: Cream to pink, aging to rose; May through August
• Wildlife: Attracts butterflies, bees, and beneficial insects; seeds for birds and small mammals; browsed by deer and elk

Wyeth buckwheat, also known as parsnipflower buckwheat, is a long-lived native perennial forb or subshrub native to the Intermountain and Rocky Mountain West, including eastern Washington's Spokane County. This distinctive plant grows from a woody base with slim, leathery basal leaves forming a low mat from which numerous flowering stems rise twelve to eighteen inches tall. Native to mountain foothills, sagebrush steppe, and open rocky slopes at elevations from 660 to 11,500 feet, it thrives in dry, shallow, gravelly to rocky soils. The plant typically inhabits areas receiving twelve to twenty-five inches of annual precipitation, growing in association with mountain big sagebrush, antelope bitterbrush, and native bunchgrasses. Its deep taproot and spreading growth form make it excellent for erosion control on difficult sites.

The flowers are the defining ornamental feature of this species. Large, showy umbel-like clusters of small cream to pale yellow flowers, often tinged with pink or rose, bloom from late spring through summer. Each flowering stem bears a distinctive whorl of three to ten linear, leaf-like bracts midway up the stem and again directly beneath the inflorescence, making this buckwheat easily distinguishable from other Eriogonum species. The bell-shaped involucres are often covered with fine hairs and have six to twelve reflexed teeth. As the flowers age, they typically turn deeper shades of pink and rose, creating a beautiful bicolor display. The grayish-green basal leaves are somewhat fleshy and persist through much of the year, providing semi-evergreen interest.

Wyeth buckwheat is an important plant for wildlife and pollinators. The abundant flowers attract numerous butterflies, native bees, and beneficial insects throughout the extended bloom period. Deer, elk, and bighorn sheep browse the foliage and flowers, and in Wyoming, even bison will forage on this plant. The dried seeds provide abundant food for birds and small rodents including ground squirrels and chipmunks. The larger, shrubby plants offer shelter for lizards and other small wildlife. Native American tribes, including the Thompson Indians of British Columbia, used various buckwheat species for food and medicine.

In landscape applications, Wyeth buckwheat excels in xeriscaping, native gardens, rock gardens, and naturalistic plantings throughout the Intermountain West. Its low, spreading form makes it suitable for groundcovers, border edging, and mass plantings on slopes where its fibrous root system aids in soil stabilization. The plant requires full sun and excellent drainage, thriving in sandy, gravelly, or rocky soils that are low in organic matter. Once established, it is extremely drought-tolerant and requires no supplemental irrigation. Plant it alongside native grasses like Idaho fescue, other drought-tolerant wildflowers, and sagebrush.