Eriogonum sphaerocephalum var. sphaerocephalum

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8) Eriogonum (Wild Buckwheat)

Eriogonum sphaerocephalum var. sphaerocephalum is found growing on exposed slopes, composed of course rocky mineral clays. This species seems to prefer the more stable deposits on the gentle slopes and terraces among rocky outcroppings.
Blooms mid June -early July. The flowers are yellow, infloresence is umbellate and held
3”-4” above the foliage.
The plants grow as erect, domed twiggy subshruds 6”-8” tall and 8”-10” across. The leaves are small
narrowly odlanceolate, with revolute margins and gray tomentose on both surfaces. The edges roll inward as the summer heat increases becoming linear in aspect. An adaptaion to help midigate loss of moisture.
It is a great little subshrub, as it holds it's tidy character under cultivation. The flower heads persist, through October turning a burnt orange color as they ripen and dry.
This grows in the north east corner of CA across northern NV northward into eastern OR & WA and southern ID.

http://www.calflora.org/cgi-bin/species_query.cgi?where-calrecnum=3370
http://www.efloras.org/florataxon.aspx?flora_id=1&taxon_id=250060506
http://www.botany.hawaii.edu/faculty/carr/ofp/eri_sph.htm
http://plants.usda.gov/java/profile?symbol=ERSPS4
http://www.pnwflowers.com/flower/eriogonum-sphaerocephalum

Comments

Anne Spiegel's picture

Anne Spiegel

Sat, 11/27/2010 - 5:09am
Hoy wrote:

John or anyone, if I should try, let us say 5 species this spring, which ones would you recommend to start with?

Here in the northeast I'd pick: Eriogonum kennedyi, E. wrightii v subscaposum, E. caespitosum, E. umbellatum ssp porteri, and E. ovalifolium v niveum.  I imagine the choice would be quite different according to your climate, but these five appear to be stayers here given sun and excellent drainage.  I'd probably add E. douglasii to the list.

John P. Weiser's picture

John P. Weiser

Sat, 11/27/2010 - 7:53am

I agree with the first list. Here are some additional choices.

Eriogonum ovalifolium  var. purpureum,  Eriogonum flavum (var. flavum, var. aquilinum, var. piperi) Eriogonum androsaceum, Eriogonum pyrolifolium (var. coryphaeum, var. pyrolifolium) Eriogonum strictum (var. proliferum, var greenei, var. strictum) Eriogonum douglasii (var. douglasii, var. meridionale)

I would grow them in a south facing slope of course sand, near the base of some dark rocks. Sharp drainage, good light exposure and a hot planting pocket might be the ticket to success.

HughGmail's picture

HughGmail (not verified)

Sun, 11/28/2010 - 5:30am
Weiser wrote:

I agree with the first list. Here are some additional choices.

.....  Eriogonum flavum (var. flavum, var. aquilinum, var. piperi)

Good choices John - I would add E. flavum var. xanthum to the list