Eriogonum crocatum

Conejo Buckwheat

Buckwheats come in all colors and sizes; all are great nectar sources for butterflies, and attract beneficial insects in general.

One that has charmed its way into our hearts is the relatively rare Conejo Buckwheat. This member of the coastal sage scrub community features woolly silver leaves and sulfur-yellow flowers which bloom from spring through early summer before turning cinnamon brown. It has the added benefit of never going dormant, so it looks nice year-round.

This small sub-shrub (usually 1–2' wide and under 1' tall) is well-suited as an accent plant, or for use in planters, large containers, or in a rock garden. It likes sun and is drought tolerant. It also tolerates heavy soils; the plant pictured below is thriving in hard clay soil with little to no water, surrounded by a Salvia clevelandii hybrid (the darker leaves and purple blooms).