Distribution: Occurring chiefly east of the Cascades crest in Washington; Washington to California, east to Idaho.
Habitat: Dry, open areas, rocky slopes and cliffs from low elevations nearly to the subalpine.
Flowers: May-July
Origin: Native
Growth Duration: Perennial
Conservation Status: Not of concern
Pollination: Bumblebees, bees, flies, butterflies, beetles, wasps
Stout perennial from a woody taproot, the broad crown somewhat shrubby, the several stems and leaves forming a plant to 5 cm. high and broad.
Basal, lanceolate to deltoid, more or less cordate-based, white-woolly beneath and green above, on petioles as long to several times as long as the blade.
Flowering stems stout and naked, the inflorescence a compound umbel 2-20 cm. broad, with linear bracts at the base of both primary and secondary umbels; involucres 6-10 mm. long, lobed about half their length, the lobes usually reflexed: tepals either creamy-white or lemon-yellow, about 5 mm. long, with a stipe-like base about 1 mm. long.
The usually large, heart-shaped leaves that are green on top and woolly white beneath will usually identify this species.
Publication: Edwards's Bot. Reg. 21: plate 1774. 1835.
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var. compositum – northern buckwheat
Occurring chiefly east of the Cascades crest in Washington; Washington to California, east to Idaho. -
var. lancifolium – wild buckwheat Occurring east of the Cascades crest in central Washington, where endemic to Chelan, Kittitas, Okanogan, and Yakima counties.
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var. leianthum – smooth arrow-leaf wild buckwheat Occurring east of the Cascades crest in central Washington; central Washington to eastern Oregon, east to west-central Idaho.
PNW Herbaria: Specimen records of Eriogonum compositum in the Consortium of Pacific Northwest Herbaria database
WA Flora Checklist: Eriogonum compositum checklist entry
OregonFlora: Eriogonum compositum information
E-Flora BC: Eriogonum compositum atlas page
CalPhotos: Eriogonum compositum photos
