Eriogonum arborescens

Santa Cruz Island Buckwheat, Eriogonum arborescens, is a shrub to three feet. This buckwheat is native to the Channel Islands. Associated plants include Artemisia californica, Brickellia californica, Calystegia macrostegia, Ceanothus arboreus, Erigeron glaucus,  Eriogonum grande rubescens, Hazardia detonsa, and Isomeris arborea.

This Eriogonum species is very drought tolerant and needs full sun. A neat-looking, little plant that causes no problems and looks good. Snow has a tendency to break branches but it seems to be hardy to some where around 0F, although 5-10F is probably safer. It has gray foliage with pink flowers that hang around from summer to winter, useful in dried flower arrangements.

One of our mother plants was untouched by deer for 35 years, in the drought of 2013 they ate every leaf off of the plant.

The buckwheats are very important butterfly plants and one of the pillars of their communities. The flowers, leaves and seeds are all used by all the smaller animals. Plant a buckwheat, feed more than one bird and butterfly.

In a California garden I like to mix this buckwheat with Salvia clevelandii 'Alpine' or 'Pozo Blue',  Encelia farinosa or californica, and Ceanothus 'Joyce Coulter' to make a large scale ground cover. Mix with Salvia  'Pozo Blue' to make a mini-hedge.

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