Groundcover
Sulphur Buckwheat
Eriogonum umbellatum
Native mats topped with pom-pom blooms that age to rust. Pollinator gold.
- Pollinator
- Native
- Groundcover
- Evergreen
Quick facts
- Hardiness
- USDA zones 4–8
- Water
- Very low once established
- Sun
- Full sun
- Size
- 6–12 in. tall × 12–24 in. wide
- Bloom & interest
- Pom-pom clusters of sulphur-yellow flowers in summer, aging to orange and rust
- Plant type
- Groundcover
- Native range
- Native throughout the mountain West and Great Basin
Why we recommend it
A native evergreen mat with pollinator-magnet flowers that thrives on rainfall alone. For gardens, look for Plant Select's KANNAH CREEK® (var. aureum 'Psdowns'), with bright flowers and red-purple winter foliage.
Best regions: Front RangeHigh DesertGreat Basin
How to grow it
Watering to establish
Water weekly the first summer; established plants need none.
Pruning
Leave the rusty seed heads for fall color; trim them off in spring.
Soil
Lean, rocky or sandy, fast-draining soil. Resents rich soil and summer irrigation.
Pairs well with
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Where to buy
Shop Sulphur Buckwheat from trusted growers. For the best selection of xeric plants, try a mail-order specialist or ask a local independent nursery.
- High Country Gardens (opens in a new tab)Xeric specialist
- Nature Hills Nursery (opens in a new tab)Wide selection
- American Meadows (opens in a new tab)Perennials & seeds
- Etsy (opens in a new tab)Small growers
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