Neighbors confirm wild California buckwheat growing along a Saratoga roadside
iNaturalist: ajalpert
Native Plants
California buckwheat is one of the best native shrubs for a dry, sunny Bay Area yard, feeding bees, butterflies, and beneficial insects with almost no watering once established.
Someone spotted a California buckwheat shrub along Pierce Road in Saratoga and posted it to iNaturalist, where other users agreed on the ID. This scrappy native plant grows wild across the dry hillsides and roadsides of California. Its clusters of tiny flowers turn from white to rusty red as they age, and pollinators swarm them.
Key Findings
The observation reached research grade, meaning the community agreed on the identification.
The plant was recorded in Saratoga, CA, on Pierce Road, adding to local distribution records for the species.
California buckwheat (Eriogonum fasciculatum) is a drought-tolerant native shrub commonly found in California's dry, sunny habitats.
chevron_right Technical Summary
A community naturalist logged a California buckwheat plant along Pierce Road in Saratoga, and other iNaturalist users confirmed the ID. It's a small data point that shows this tough native shrub growing in the Santa Clara County foothills.
Abstract Preview
Original paper
California Buckwheat (Eriogonum fasciculatum) observed in Pierce Rd, Saratoga, CA, US
Research-grade observation of California Buckwheat in Pierce Rd, Saratoga, CA, US.
open_in_new Read full abstractAbstract copyright held by the original publisher.
Species Mentioned
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Eriogonum fasciculatum is a species of wild buckwheat known by the common names California buckwheat and flat-topped buckwheat. Characterized by small, white and pink flower clusters that give off a cottony effect, this species grows variably from a patchy mat to a wide shrub, with the flowers tu...