Data provided by the participants of the Consortium of California Herbaria

View additional distribution information on the Jepson eflora

Eriogonum saxatile is a species of wild buckwheat known by the common name hoary buckwheat. It is native to the dry, rocky mountain slopes of California and Nevada, where it is a common plant. It is also cultivated as a low-maintenance rock garden plant. This is a variable perennial which may be a spindly 10 centimeters in height or a bushy 40 centimeters. The rounded or scoop-shaped leaves appear in a mat on the ground, each up to 2 or 3 centimeters wide at maximum, and densely woolly. The stout, woolly flower cluster branches and produces flower clusters at nodes. The flowers are generally red or pale yellow.

Plant type

Perennial herb

Size

4 - 8 in Tall

Calscape icon
Color

Cream, Pink, White, Red

Sun

Full Sun

Water

Low, Very Low

Ease of care

Moderate

Sunset Zones

1, 2, 3, 7*, 14, 15*, 16*, 17*, 18*, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24

Site type

Decomposed granite or volcanic rocks

Plant communities

Joshua Tree Woodland, Red Fir Forest, Subalpine Forest, Yellow Pine Forest

Bees
Caterpillars
Butterflies

Butterflies and moths supported

1 confirmed and 44 likely

Confirmed Likely

Dotted Blue

Euphilotes enoptes

Sonoran Metalmark

Apodemia mejicanus

Mormon Metalmark

Apodemia mormo

Behr's Metalmark

Apodemia virgulti