Flowers and Plants
Gardening Guides
Introduce Ashyleaf Buckwheat to Your Native California Garden
Eriogonum cinereum, a lesser-known native buckwheat, adds a delicate touch to the drought-tolerant landscape
There’s something about ashyleaf buckwheat (Eriogonum cinereum) that gets me every time. It could be the way the flowers, in white, cream and pink, appear like popcorn at the tips of the slender stalks. It could be that I always see a butterfly or adorable ground-nesting native bee busying itself in the blooms. The soft evergreen, or more accurately, evergray foliage is easy on the eyes and reminds me of my favorite hiking trails along the California coast.
Ashyleaf buckwheat, mixed with ‘Moonshine’ yarrow (Achillea ‘Moonshine’) and Cleveland sage (Salvia clevelandii), lends delicacy to the edge of a California native-blend lawn that receives regular water.
Water requirement: Regular water during first year to establish, then drought-tolerant with minimal supplemental water required
Light requirement: Full sun
Mature size: 2 to 4 feet tall and wide
Benefits and tolerances: Tolerates a variety of soil types; supports numerous pollinators; looks lush with minimal water after first year
Seasonal interest: Blooms late fall into early summer
When to plant: Cool season (late October to February) in Southern California and areas of similar climate, to utilize winter rains and cooler temperatures during plant’s establishment period
Water requirement: Regular water during first year to establish, then drought-tolerant with minimal supplemental water required
Light requirement: Full sun
Mature size: 2 to 4 feet tall and wide
Benefits and tolerances: Tolerates a variety of soil types; supports numerous pollinators; looks lush with minimal water after first year
Seasonal interest: Blooms late fall into early summer
When to plant: Cool season (late October to February) in Southern California and areas of similar climate, to utilize winter rains and cooler temperatures during plant’s establishment period
Distinguishing traits. The common name ashyleaf buckwheat refers to the gray-green color of the leaves, which are small and covered in fine hairs that are soft and pleasant to touch.
Photo by D Coetzee
Flowers that appear on the tips of the plant stalks are actually clusters of hundreds of tiny flowers. They begin in tints of cream and light pink, and the colors deepen as the flowers mature. This plant sports blooms nearly year-round, with new ones typically emerging in summer.
The flowers are a superb source of pollen and nectar for numerous species of butterflies and bees. As the blooms dry, mature seeds become a nutritious feast for birds.
Flowers that appear on the tips of the plant stalks are actually clusters of hundreds of tiny flowers. They begin in tints of cream and light pink, and the colors deepen as the flowers mature. This plant sports blooms nearly year-round, with new ones typically emerging in summer.
The flowers are a superb source of pollen and nectar for numerous species of butterflies and bees. As the blooms dry, mature seeds become a nutritious feast for birds.
Ashyleaf buckwheat grows in the foreground of a mixed Mediterranean planting, with Grevillea ‘Moonlight’ and purple-flowering Mexican bush sage (Salvia leucantha) behind it.
How to use it. If you have the space, ashyleaf buckwheat looks lovely when massed in a large grouping. It is an ideal plant to use on steep slopes, as it will help prevent erosion. In tighter areas, I like to use it as a foreground plant, with taller shrubs with contrasting foliage and flowers planted behind it.
Ashyleaf buckwheat can also grow in containers. I would recommend planting it in a dark-colored planter to let the pale flowers pop. Plant it in a medium to large container in a partially to fully sunny location. Use a well-draining potting mix designed for cactuses and succulents, and water once a week, twice a week if temperatures exceed 90 degrees (32 degrees Celsius). The plant needs more regular watering in a container than it does in the ground, even after establishment.
How to use it. If you have the space, ashyleaf buckwheat looks lovely when massed in a large grouping. It is an ideal plant to use on steep slopes, as it will help prevent erosion. In tighter areas, I like to use it as a foreground plant, with taller shrubs with contrasting foliage and flowers planted behind it.
Ashyleaf buckwheat can also grow in containers. I would recommend planting it in a dark-colored planter to let the pale flowers pop. Plant it in a medium to large container in a partially to fully sunny location. Use a well-draining potting mix designed for cactuses and succulents, and water once a week, twice a week if temperatures exceed 90 degrees (32 degrees Celsius). The plant needs more regular watering in a container than it does in the ground, even after establishment.
Planting notes. Ashyleaf buckwheat can be started from seed or a 1-gallon container. It can be difficult to find but is worth looking for. California gardeners should check their local native plant nursery for availability.
It’s fairly adaptable to soil types and tolerant of a wide range of watering, from minimal to regular.
It’s fairly adaptable to soil types and tolerant of a wide range of watering, from minimal to regular.
Ashyleaf buckwheat doesn’t require a lot of maintenance, and I recommend leaving it alone if possible. I tend to use this plant in smaller urban gardens near sidewalks and pathways where they will be admired, so I do some light pruning just to rein in the sprawling habit and keep it back from the path as needed. If the flowers look tired in the summer, I may occasionally trim them off in anticipation of the next bloom cycle. Make sure to leave the dried flowers around so that birds can munch the seeds.
Browse more plants native to your region
See another great native California buckwheat for the garden
Browse more plants native to your region
See another great native California buckwheat for the garden
Common names: Ashyleaf buckwheat, coastal buckwheat
Origin: Native to California coastal areas from Los Angeles County to Santa Barbara County, and Santa Rosa Island
Where it will grow: May tolerate temperatures down to 25 degrees Fahrenheit, or minus 3.9 degrees Celsius (USDA zones 9 and higher; find your zone)
Typical plant communities: Coastal scrub