# Dogtongue Buckwheat (*Eriogonum tomentosum*)

Dogtongue Buckwheat is a special plant with soft, fuzzy leaves and bright yellow flowers. It grows in rocky places and is loved by butterflies and bees!

- **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant)
- **Rarity:** Common
- **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low
- **Habitat:** Mountain regions

![Dogtongue Buckwheat](https://inaturalist-open-data.s3.amazonaws.com/photos/152845968/medium.jpg)

Photo: Matt Berger, CC BY 4.0 · [iNaturalist](https://www.inaturalist.org/photos/152845968)

## Appearance

The Dogtongue Buckwheat is a low-growing plant featuring fuzzy, grayish-green leaves that resemble a dog's tongue. It produces many clusters of tiny, creamy yellow to white flowers, creating a soft, mounding appearance.

## Taxonomy

- **Kingdom:** Plantae
- **Phylum:** Tracheophyta
- **Class:** Magnoliopsida
- **Order:** Caryophyllales
- **Family:** Polygonaceae
- **Genus:** Eriogonum

## Interesting facts

- Even though it's small, its root system can be surprisingly strong, anchoring it firmly against winds and erosion.
- Its name 'Dogtongue' comes from the shape and fuzzy texture of its leaves – can you feel the resemblance?
- Many tiny bees and butterflies visit its small flowers, making it a busy pit stop for pollinators in the desert!
- Some Native American tribes historically used parts of certain buckwheat relatives for food or medicine!

## Special abilities

- **Fluffy Coat Power:** Dogtongue Buckwheat has fuzzy leaves that act like a fluffy coat, protecting it from intense sun and helping it save precious water.
- **Deep Drinker Roots:** Dogtongue Buckwheat can grow long taproots deep into the soil, allowing it to find water far below the surface in dry times.
- **Tough Spot Specialist:** Dogtongue Buckwheat has adaptations that let it thrive in poor, rocky soils where most other plants struggle to grow.

## Measurements & details

- **Height:** 10-30 cm
- **Spread:** 15-45 cm
- **Flower Size:** 0.2-0.5 cm
- **Bloom Season:** Summer to early Fall
- **Edible:** No
- **Toxicity:** None
- **Lifecycle:** Perennial
- **Pollination Method:** Insect

## Ecological connections

- **Pollinates:** [Yellow-faced Bumble Bee](https://www.snappit.app/explore/yellow-faced-bumble-bee) (*Bombus vosnesenskii*) — Collects nectar and pollen from its flowers.
- **Eats:** Buckwheat Flower Moth (*Schinia buckaria*) — Larvae feed specifically on Dogtongue Buckwheat flowers.
- **Eats:** Desert Harvester Ant (*Pogonomyrmex rugosus*) — Gathers its nutritious seeds for the ant colony.
- **Eats:** [Mule Deer](https://www.snappit.app/explore/mule-deer) (*Odocoileus hemionus*) — Browses on its leaves, especially in dry seasons.

## Traits

- [Furry](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/furry): Furry describes animals possessing a dense covering of soft hair or fur.
- [Flowering](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/flowering): Flowering plants are any plants that produce flowers as part of their reproductive cycle.
- [Summer Blooming](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/summer-blooming): Summer blooming plants produce their flowers during the summer season, often providing vibrant color when many other plants have finished.
- [Drought Tolerant](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/drought-tolerant): Drought-tolerant plants can survive and flourish in conditions with limited water availability.
- [Pollinator Magnet](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/pollinator-magnet): Describes plants that are particularly attractive and beneficial to a wide range of pollinating organisms.
- [Mountain](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/mountain): This habitat trait identifies species found in mountainous regions, characterized by high elevation, steep slopes, and varying climate zones.
- [Keystone Species](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/keystone-species): Describes a species whose presence and role have a disproportionately large effect on its environment.

## Collections

- [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/plants)

## Safety

**Danger:** 1/5 · Very low

Always look but don't touch plants unless you know they're safe.

## Frequently Asked Questions

### How to identify Dogtongue Buckwheat?

Start with the whole plant, then compare leaf arrangement, leaf edges, stems and any flowers or fruit. Opposite leaves grow in pairs; alternate leaves come one at a time along the stem. These details tell you far more together than a single green leaf does. Plant Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details.

### How tall is Dogtongue Buckwheat?

10-30 cm

### How wide does Dogtongue Buckwheat spread?

15-45 cm

### How big are the flowers on Dogtongue Buckwheat?

0.2-0.5 cm

### When does Dogtongue Buckwheat bloom?

Summer to early Fall

### Is Dogtongue Buckwheat edible?

No

### Is Dogtongue Buckwheat toxic?

None

### What is Dogtongue Buckwheat's lifecycle?

Perennial

## Where to spot

- [Rock Springs Run State Reserve](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/rock-springs-run-state-reserve) — Florida, US · State Park

## More Plants

- [white snakeroot](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-snakeroot) (*Ageratina altissima*)
- [tree-of-heaven](https://www.snappit.app/explore/tree-of-heaven) (*Ailanthus altissima*)
- [western sword fern](https://www.snappit.app/explore/western-sword-fern) (*Polystichum munitum*)
- [common milkweed](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-milkweed) (*Asclepias syriaca*)

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Source: [Dogtongue Buckwheat: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/dogtongue-buckwheat)