# Panguitch Buckwheat (*Eriogonum panguicense*) Panguitch Buckwheat is a special plant that grows in Utah. It has pretty yellow flowers and is very important for the tiny animals that live nearby. - **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant) - **Rarity:** Rare - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Snaps:** 1 - **Habitat:** Mountain regions ![Panguitch Buckwheat](https://inaturalist-open-data.s3.amazonaws.com/photos/301018017/medium.jpeg) Photo: Anders Hastings, CC BY 4.0 · [iNaturalist](https://www.inaturalist.org/photos/301018017) ## Appearance The Panguitch Buckwheat is a low-growing perennial plant forming dense mats close to the ground. Its small, clustered flowers are a bright sulfur-yellow, standing out against its fuzzy, silvery-green leaves. It often has a reddish tinge on its stems. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Plantae - **Phylum:** Tracheophyta - **Class:** Magnoliopsida - **Order:** Caryophyllales - **Family:** Polygonaceae - **Genus:** Eriogonum ## Interesting facts - Buckwheat isn't a true wheat, but it's related to rhubarb! - It only grows naturally on a few mountains in Utah, nowhere else! - Its tiny yellow flowers are actually groups of even tinier individual blossoms! - This plant is so rare, it's protected by the US government! ## Special abilities - **Drought Warrior:** Panguitch Buckwheat can survive very dry conditions because its fuzzy leaves reduce water loss. - **Rock Hugger:** It has a special root system that helps it anchor securely in rocky, volcanic soils. - **Mat Master:** This plant grows in dense mats to protect its delicate shoots from strong winds and harsh sunlight. ## Measurements & details - **Height:** 5-15 cm - **Spread:** 10-30 cm - **Flower Size:** 0.2-0.5 cm - **Bloom Season:** Late Spring to Mid-Summer - **Edible:** No - **Toxicity:** None - **Lifecycle:** Perennial - **Pollination Method:** Insect ## Ecological connections - **Pollinates:** Two-Form Bumblebee (*Bombus bifarius*) — Buzzes among buckwheat flowers collecting nectar. - **Pollinates:** Viereck's Sweat Bee (*Lasioglossum vierecki*) — Tiny native bee active on many small wildflowers. - **Pollinates:** European Honey Bee (*Apis mellifera*) — Gathers pollen and nectar from abundant yellow blooms. ## Traits - [Flowering](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/flowering): Flowering plants are any plants that produce flowers as part of their reproductive cycle. - [Shrub](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/shrub): A shrub is a woody plant smaller than a tree, typically with multiple stems branching from or near the ground. - [Colorful](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/colorful): Colorful describes organisms or objects displaying a wide range of bright and distinct colors. - [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. - [Ancient Lineage](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/ancient-lineage): This trait signifies organisms belonging to a very old evolutionary group with ancestors dating back millions of years. - [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. - [Endangered](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/endangered): Endangered status indicates a species is at a very high risk of extinction in the wild in the near future. ## 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 are safe! ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Panguitch 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 Panguitch Buckwheat? 5-15 cm ### How wide does Panguitch Buckwheat spread? 10-30 cm ### How big are the flowers on Panguitch Buckwheat? 0.2-0.5 cm ### When does Panguitch Buckwheat bloom? Late Spring to Mid-Summer ### Is Panguitch Buckwheat edible? No ### Is Panguitch Buckwheat toxic? None ### What is Panguitch Buckwheat's lifecycle? Perennial ## Where to spot - [Bryce Canyon Lodge Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/bryce-canyon-lodge-historic-district) — Utah, US · Historic District - [Bryce Canyon National Park Scenic Trails Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/bryce-canyon-national-park-scenic-trails-historic-district) — Utah, US · Trail - [Cedar Breaks National Monument](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/cedar-breaks-national-monument) — Utah, US · National Park [View all places to see Panguitch Buckwheat](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/panguitch-buckwheat) ## 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*) --- Source: [Panguitch Buckwheat: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/panguitch-buckwheat)