# parsnipflower buckwheat (*Eriogonum heracleoides*) Parsnipflower buckwheat is a lovely flower that grows in the wild. It has small, white flowers that look like tiny stars and can be found in sunny places. - **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Snaps:** 2 - **Habitat:** Grasslands ![parsnipflower buckwheat](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Eriogonum_heracleoides_2.jpg&width=800) Photo: Stan Shebs, CC BY-SA 3.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Eriogonum_heracleoides_2.jpg) ## Appearance The parsnipflower buckwheat is a low-growing plant with woolly, grey-green leaves often clustered at the base. Its creamy to yellow flowers grow in dense, umbrella-shaped clusters atop upright stems, making it quite distinctive in dry, open habitats. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Plantae - **Phylum:** Tracheophyta - **Class:** Magnoliopsida - **Order:** Caryophyllales - **Family:** Polygonaceae - **Genus:** Eriogonum ## Interesting facts - Indigenous peoples sometimes used parts of related buckwheat plants for traditional medicines. - It's a favorite snack for deer, who munch on its leaves and stems in the wild! - Its scientific name, \*Eriogonum\*, means 'woolly knee,' referring to the fuzzy joints on some species. - Many tiny flowers gather together to form one big, showy bloom, attracting lots of bees! ## Special abilities - **Drought Master:** Parsnipflower buckwheat has fuzzy leaves and a deep taproot that help it store water and survive in very dry, rocky places. - **Sunshine Seeker:** This plant can grow directly in bright sunlight, even reflecting some rays with its light-colored, woolly leaves to stay cool. ## Measurements & details - **Height:** 15-60 cm - **Spread:** 30-90 cm - **Flower Size:** 0.2-0.5 cm - **Bloom Season:** Late spring to late summer - **Edible:** No - **Toxicity:** None - **Lifecycle:** Perennial - **Pollination Method:** Insect ## Ecological connections - **Pollinates:** Honey Bee (*Apis mellifera*) — Gathers nectar and pollen from its tiny flowers. - **Pollinates:** Two-Form Bumblebee (*Bombus bifarius*) — An important native pollinator in its range. - **Eaten by:** [Mule Deer](https://www.snappit.app/explore/mule-deer) (*Odocoileus hemionus*) — Grazes on its leaves, especially when other food is scarce. ## Traits - [Flowering](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/flowering): Flowering plants are any plants that produce flowers as part of their reproductive cycle. - [Cluster Flower](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/cluster-flower): Cluster flowers are inflorescences where individual flowers are arranged closely together on a common stem. - [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. - [Edible](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/edible): Edible plants are those parts of a plant that are considered safe for human consumption. - [Grassland](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/grassland): Grassland habitats are terrestrial biomes dominated by grasses and herbaceous plants, supporting a variety of grazing animals. - [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. ## Collections - [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/plants) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low Always look but don't touch wild flowers, as some can be harmful. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify parsnipflower 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 parsnipflower buckwheat? 15-60 cm ### How wide does parsnipflower buckwheat spread? 30-90 cm ### How big are the flowers on parsnipflower buckwheat? 0.2-0.5 cm ### When does parsnipflower buckwheat bloom? Late spring to late summer ### Is parsnipflower buckwheat edible? No ### Is parsnipflower buckwheat toxic? None ### What is parsnipflower buckwheat's lifecycle? Perennial ## Where to spot - [John A. Finch Arboretum](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/john-a-finch-arboretum) — Washington, US · Botanical Garden - [Okanagan Lake Provincial Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/okanagan-lake-provincial-park) — British Columbia, CA · State Park - [White Lake Grasslands Protected Area](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/white-lake-grasslands-protected-area) — British Columbia, CA · Nature Reserve - [Kentucky-Alleyne Provincial Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/kentucky-alleyne-provincial-park) — British Columbia, CA · State Park - [Johnstone Creek Provincial Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/johnstone-creek-provincial-park) — British Columbia, CA · State Park [View all places to see parsnipflower buckwheat](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/parsnipflower-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: [Parsnipflower Buckwheat: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/parsnipflower-buckwheat)