Data provided by the participants of the Consortium of California Herbaria

View additional distribution information on the Jepson eflora

Eriogonum crocatum (Conejo Buckwheat or Saffron Buckwheat) is a rare species of wild Buckwheat that is endemic to the Conejo Valley and surrounding regions in Ventura County, California. It grows on open, dry hillsides, often in crags in rock faces. Conejo Buckwheat is a perennial shrub less than 0.5 meter high by 0.5-1 meter wide. Its foliage is a striking silvery green, with woolly leaves. It flowers from April-August, bearing clusters of tiny bright, sulfur yellow flowers. It has no dormancy period. Probably performs best in coastal southern California.

Plant type

Perennial herb

Size

7 - 36 in Tall
2 - 3 ft Wide

Form

Mounding

Growth rate

Moderate

Dormancy

Evergreen

Fragrance

None

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Color

Yellow, Green

Flowering season

Spring, Summer

Special uses

Deer resistant

Sun

Full Sun

Water

Low, Very Low

Summer irrigation

Max 3x / month once established

Ease of care

Easy

Cold tolerance

Tolerates cold to 30° F

Soil drainage

Medium, Slow

Soil description

Generally rocky with clay, but tolerates other soils.
Soil PH: 6.0 - 8.0

Propagation

For propagating by seed: No treatment.

Site type

Dry rocky slopes and rock faces on the northwestern edge of the Santa Monica Mountains among chaparral, coastal sage scrub or grassland; often found with very large patches of prickly pear cactus

Plant communities

Chaparral, Coastal Sage Scrub

Companions in its native range include Coast Prickly Pear Cactus (Opuntia littoralis), Coast Cholla (Cylindropuntia prolifera), California Encelia (Encelia californica), White Sage (Salvia apiana), Purple Sage (Salvia leucophylla), Yucca species and Dudleya species

Birds
Bees
Caterpillars
Butterflies

Butterflies and moths supported

0 confirmed and 30 likely

Confirmed Likely

Mormon Metalmark

Apodemia mormo

Behr's Metalmark

Apodemia virgulti

Orange Tortrix Moth

Argyrotaenia franciscana

Aroga paulella