I love the look of the naked buckwheat that grows amidst the wild flowers on our Napa Valley mountains. Besides being a naturally occurring plant in our region, it’s also one of the best design plants, and is tough and easy to grow. Even more, naked buckwheat provides important food for pollinators year-round, especially during California’s record breaking drought.
Plant this beauty now and you’ll enjoy butterflies who will visit your garden to sip the refreshing nectar in the summer. Starting in the fall to next spring, the plant’s bountiful and delicious seeds will be a delicacy enjoyed by all kinds of birds.
You’ll see this drought-tolerant perennial growing in our region most of the year, and in the summer the plant’s bare stems burst forth billows of pretty pom-pom flowers that butterflies can’t resist. And neither can I.
Botanical name: Eriogonum nudum
Common name: Naked buckwheat
Origin: Native throughout California and parts of Nevada, Oregon and Washington
Natural habitat: Many plant communities
Where it will grow: Easily hardy to 30 degrees Fahrenheit, possibly as low as 5 degrees Fahrenheit.
Water requirement: Occasional; drought tolerant
Light requirement: Full sun
Soil: Adaptable; prefers well-drained soil
Mature size: 3- to 6-inch tall basal leaves; flowers 2 to 5 feet tall and 2 feet wide
How to use it. One of the best design plants for rock gardens and hot slopes, naked buckwheat can even tolerate hot afternoon summer sun. It is lovely massed for maximum effect. Or plant it with its natural companions, like Catalina hummingbird fuchsia (Epilobium canum ‘Catalina’, shown here), monkeyflower (Mimulus and Diplacus spp) or sagebrush (Artemisia spp).
I can find you the perfect property to set up your new garden with this great design plant: Naked Buckwheat. If you’re in the market to buy a property in Napa Valley and would like to know if there are any confidential offerings that match your search criteria, please contact me at 707-738-4820 or email [email protected].
As a top producing Realtor® in Napa Valley, I have access to some extraordinary wineries, vineyards, estates and homes in Napa, Yountville, Saint Helena and Calistoga. The inventory is extraordinary right now and each and every property has spectacular views. I look forward to helping you buy or sell your property in this beautiful part of the world.