Common name(s): Dune Buckwheat, Coast Buckwheat, Seacliff Buckwheat

Family: Polygonaceae - Buckwheat Family

Species: Eriogonum parvifolium

Commonly found: On coastal bluffs and dunes formations

Size: 1 to 3 feet tall, sprawls to 4 feet wide.

Origin: Dune Buckwheat is endemic to California and grows in the coastal areas of the central and southern parts of the state.

Description: 

Dune Buckwheat has small but thick rounded leaves that are sometimes folded under and its flowers are white to pinkish when in bloom and gradually darken to brown. This shrub is drought resistant and thrives in full sunlight, flowering in the spring. The honey produced by bees that feed on Buckwheat nectar is among the most delicious and strongly flavored honey varieties, and is the color of deep purple. It is an important host and nectar plant for butterflies, moths, bees, and other pollinators looking for food.  Because the plant is a host to so many insects, it has been the subject of numerous restoration programs throughout California.