Eriogonum plumatella – “Plumate Buckwheat”

Also Known As: Yucca Buckwheat
Family: Buckwheat (Polygonaceae)
Bloom Period: Apr-Oct
Form: Perennial herb
Habitat: Sandy and gravelly soils
Leaves: Obovate, fuzzy; on lower stems
Translation: “Eriogonum” is Greek for “woolly joint” and refers to the fuzzy-looking flowers that grow at the stem joints of some species in this genus (like this one); “plumatella” is Latin for “small-feathered,” which describes the appearance of the plant, like a feather duster stuck handle first into the desert ground.
Notes: This distinctive wild buckwheat is easily recognized, with its tall, narrow profile that spreads at the top.
Native American Uses: The Kawaiisu pounded the seed into a flour and made it into porridge.
Animal Associations: Nectar plant and larval food for two rare, endangered species of the Pallid Dotted-Blue butterfly. Also host plant for Acmon Blue butterfly, Mormon Metalmark butterfly and Pale Blue butterfly.