Plant of the Month (August) : Seacliff (Dune) Buckwheat

Seacliff (Dune) Buckwheat (Eriogonum parvifolium) - white flowers, left

Native
buckwheats are the stars of local gardens in August. Their pretty, pink-white flowers and
orange-brown seed heads attract a host of birds and insects; they are sometimes
literally covered with butterflies and other insects. One local species, blooming now in Mother
Nature’s Backyard, is the Seacliff or Dune Buckwheat, Eriogonum parvifolium (pronounced
‘air-ee-OGG-oh-num par-vee-FOE-lee-um’.

Seacliff
Buckwheat is also known commonly as Cliff Buckwheat, Seacliff wild buckwheat,
Dune buckwheat, Dune eriogonum, Small-leaved wild buckwheat and Small-leaved
buckwheat. It was first proposed as a species in 1809 [1] and botanists collected it from the Los Angeles
County coast in 1881 [2]. Several varieties have been proposed; most
now regard all of the coastal forms as a single species.

The
wild Buckwheats – genus Eriogonum –
are flowering plants in the family Polygonaceae
(the Knotweed or Buckwheat family).
There are over 250 species and sub-species native to California. Many California Eriogonums are half-woody shrubs (sub-shrubs) or perennials,
although some are annuals. Eriogonum species are native to North
America and not to be confused with the Asian cereal/flour buckwheats, which
are in a different genus (Fagopyrum).
Our native wild Buckwheats are not
the source of buckwheat pancakes – that’s Fagopyrum – but they are a preferred
food source for many a hungry insect.

Dune
Buckwheat (Eriogonum parvifolium) is
a good example of the buckwheats native to western Los Angeles County. In the wilds, it still can be found in
coastal areas from Monterey to San Diego County. It grows
most commonly on dunes and bluffs near the ocean, where it provides important
habitat under challenging coastal conditions.
But in our area it also extends further inland, to areas covered by
coastal shrubland and coastal sage scrub.
For example, there are still areas of native Coastal Buckwheat in
undeveloped areas on the CSU Dominguez Hills campus (native coastal shrubland). So Coastal Buckwheat is right at home in
Mother Nature’s Backyard as well as on the Preserve.

Seacliff (Dune) Buckwheat (Eriogonum parvifolium)

on coastal cliffs, Redondo Beach, California

Seacliff (Dune) Buckwheat (Eriogonum parvifolium)

typical form away from sandy coastal soils

Seacliff
buckwheat is a sub-shrub (the bases of the branches are woody,
while the newer parts are herbaceous) with numerous slender branches. On sand/sandy soils near the coast, the
branches are prostrate (lying on the ground) or decumbent (reclining on the
ground, but with up-turned tips). In
less sandy soils – like our clay soil here at the garden - the branches may be
fairly upright. The branches are 1-3 feet
(to 1 meter) long and a mature plant may spread to 4-5+ feet wide. Overall, the plants usually resemble a series
of upright stems, rather than the mounded, shrub-like forms of other local
buckwheats (see photo, above).

Seacliff (Dune) Buckwheat (Eriogonum parvifolium)

wet-season leaves

Seacliff (Dune) Buckwheat (Eriogonum parvifolium)

Dry season leaves

The leaves of Seacliff buckwheat are
smaller than those of some native Buckwheats, less than an inch (3 cm) across -
usually about 0.5 inches (1.25 cm) in our area.
Leaves tend to be smaller in drier conditions. The leaves have a distinctive, rounded,
buckwheat shape (see above) and are medium green above and lighter green
beneath due to cob-webby hairs.

In spring, the leaves are succulent,
relatively flat and hairy. As the soil
dries in summer, the leaves roll under at the edges – a water saving
strategy. Under really dry conditions,
the leaves become tightly rolled and finally are dropped entirely. They may
also turn red – a stress-related reaction.
These are mechanisms to allow the plant to survive the long dry summers
associated with our mediterranean climate. Seacliff buckwheat is a real survivor!

Seacliff (Dune) Buckwheat (Eriogonum parvifolium)

Foliage with red leaves

Seacliff (Dune) Buckwheat (Eriogonum parvifolium)

flowering plant

The main flowering season for Seacliff
buckwheat is summer, although some flowers may be present throughout the year
in a garden setting. In most years, the
major bloom occurs from late July through August in our area. The flowers are just what an insect longs
for: many tiny flowers, clustered in easy-to-access bunches and producing high
quality nectar and pollen.

Seacliff (Dune) Buckwheat (Eriogonum parvifolium)

Close-up of flowers in tight, ball-like clusters

Seacliff (Dune) Buckwheat (Eriogonum parvifolium)

Gray Hairstreak butterfly nectars on flowers

As seen in the picture above, the
flowers are cream-pink in color. A
plant in full bloom is literally covered with blossoms – a sight to
behold. The flowers attract a wide range
of insects from native bees and butterflies to pollinator flies, beetles and
wasps. If forced to choose one plant to
attract summer insects, it would have to be a buckwheat. You’ll want to have a seat nearby, where you
can sit and watch the many visitors.

Seacliff (Dune) Buckwheat (Eriogonum parvifolium) with

Fiery Skipper butterfly

Seacliff (Dune) Buckwheat (Eriogonum parvifolium) with

Pacific Burrowing Wasp

Dune buckwheat is host plant to two
endangered butterfly species. Near
Monterey, it provides larval food for the Smith's
dotted-blue (Euphilotes enoptes smithi).
In Los Angeles County, it is well known for its role in the survival of
the federally endangered El Segundo Blue Butterfly (Euphilotes battoides allyni).
These tiny, short-lived butterflies can sometimes be seen fluttering
around Eriogonum parvifolium on coastal
dunes and sandy cliffs of the South Bay.
The plants also attract a number of other butterflies, primarily the
smaller Skippers, Duskywings, Marine Blues, Hairstreaks and others.

Seacliff buckwheat is an
easy-to-grow plant in the garden, providing you don’t water it much (or any) in
the summer months. We’ve grown it
successfully in sandy and clay soils. It
needs full sun and probably does best within 8-10 miles of the coast. Sandy, salty maritime conditions are no
problem for this tough buckwheat.

Like several other local buckwheats
(Ashyleaf buckwheat – Eriogonum cinerium;
California buckwheat – Eriogonum
fasciculatum; Giant buckwheat – Eriogonum
giganteum) Eriogonum parvifolium is quick to establish. Plant in late fall/winter, give occasional
summer water (every 2-4 weeks) the first summer, and it’s established. You will
need to supplement in winter/spring if rains are scanty thereafter. But these plants require little summer water
once established.

Seacliff (Dune) Buckwheat (Eriogonum parvifolium)

young plant

We
may water our Seacliff buckwheat once or twice between late May and November in
Mother Nature’s Backyard. We’ve watered
once a month in another garden – clay soil, but on a slope. Be sure to pick a cool, overcast period for
summer watering. These plants are
fairly pest-free, but can be killed by root fungi, if soil is moist during warm
weather.

Seacliff
buckwheat requires very little maintenance.
We prune ours back by about 1/3 in late fall or winter to simulate
natural ‘pruning’ by animals. We also
remove old dead stems, if any, at that time.
That’s about all the management that’s required. If the plants spread too much, simply cut
them back. Other than that, Seacliff
buckwheat is a plant that thrives on a gardener’s neglectful propensities.

Seacliff (Dune) Buckwheat (Eriogonum parvifolium)

Mother Nature's Backyard, Gardena Willows Wetland Preserve

We’ve
planted Eriogonum parvifolium in all the gardens we manage, as well as in
restoration projects. It makes a hardy,
shrubby groundcover on sunny slopes. We also plant it along walls and fences,
to ‘soften’ their harsh lines. Seacliff
buckwheat works well in mixed, water-wise beds with other native shrubs and
grasses.

Seacliff (Dune) Buckwheat (Eriogonum parvifolium)

Madrona Marsh Preserve, Torrance CA

We
like to contrast the foliage of the several local buckwheats and often plant
several species in a garden. They
provide essential color and interest in the summer and fall garden. Their
billows of soft colors remind us that autumn is coming and complement evergreen
shrubs and the yellow sunflowers of fall. Their soft shapes are perfect for the natural
cottage garden.

Seacliff (Dune) Buckwheat (Eriogonum parvifolium) right

and Ashyleaf buckwheat (left front)

Of
course, Eriogonum parvifolium is an
important shrub for habitat gardens, attracting both insects and insect- and
seed-eating birds. You can’t have too
many buckwheats in a local habitat garden!
The young shoots can be cooked
in the spring and eaten as wild greens.
Native Californians boiled the leaves to make a medicinal tea to treat
headaches and stomach ailments. The
flowers were steeped in water, and the water then used as an eyewash. All
parts of the plant (including prunings) can be used to make brown and orange
natural dyes.

Seacliff (Dune) Buckwheat (Eriogonum parvifolium) in fall

Mother Nature's Backyard, Gardena CA

In summary,
Seacliff buckwheat is a natural addition to coastal California gardens. It provides so much in a single plant: food,
habitat, color and interesting shapes.
They provide floral color in summer and fall, when other local native
are dormant. To us, they help provide
the ‘feel’ of coastal California, harking back to times past. We hope you’ll
consider this easy plant for your own water-wise garden. And if you live on the coast of Los Angeles
County, you may even provide habitat for the endangered El Segundo Blue.

For a gardening
information sheet see: http://www.slideshare.net/cvadheim/gardening-sheet-eriogonum-parvifolium

For more pictures of this
plant see: http://www.slideshare.net/cvadheim/eriogonum-parvifolium-web-show

For more on Ashyleaf buckwheat – Eriogonum cinerium: http://mother-natures-backyard.blogspot.com/2012/11/plant-of-month-november-ashy-leaf.html

For more on California buckwheat – Eriogonum
fasciculatum: http://mother-natures-backyard.blogspot.com/2014/06/plant-of-month-june-california.html

For more on Giant buckwheat – Eriogonum
giganteum: http://mother-natures-backyard.blogspot.com/2013/08/plant-of-month-august-st-catherines.html

For plant information
sheets on other native plants see: http://nativeplantscsudh.blogspot.com/p/gallery-of-native-plants_17.html

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