This final discussion of Eriogonum, or wild buckwheat, examines three beauties that are grown at the Master Gardener Demonstration Garden at Patrick Ranch: E. nudum; E. umbellatum; and E. grande var. rubescens (previous articles in this series have looked at E. giganteum and E. fasciculatum).

A quick reminder about characteristics that wild buckwheats have in common: they are tolerant of harsh conditions such as drought, rocky soil, and blasting summer heat, and are able to persist in hot desert and chaparral as well as montane environments. Most hate having wet feet, so will not grow in marshy or riparian ecosystems or heavy clay soils. All provide excellent sustenance to pollinators. Pertinent to two of the species discussed below is the wild buckwheat's penchant for hybridization, which has not only resulted in over 250 Eriogonum species, but also a large number of varieties within species.

Species Focus – Eriogonum nudum

A progenitor of up to sixteen subspecies and variants, E. nudum is distributed widely throughout the western quadrant of North America, from Alberta and British Columbia in Canada down to the southern border of California and the eastern border of Nevada. Its ability to thrive along the coast at sea level and in wet conditions make it an outlier in the buckwheat realm.

Being deciduous also makes it different from most wild buckwheats. Its life cycle starts in the spring, when it puts out ground-hugging green leaves in a rosette pattern. From there, it sends up slender, hairless or bare (nudum) stems, often dividing into two or more stems towards the top half, which begin to bloom in May and last through at least August. The flowers are frilly balls of white, pale pink, or yellow. The bare stems of E. nudum, topped with rounded flower clusters above which float delicate anthers, are a dramatic scene in the late summer landscape.

The stems and flowers can reach up to six feet high, but usually clock in at three to four feet. The entire display dies back in winter, to begin again the following spring.

The many common names of this plant include naked, nude, or barestem buckwheat, and naked-stemmed Eriogonum. Native American peoples found several uses for its hairless stems: the Karuk tribe of Siskiyou County and the Miwok tribe of California's Central Coast ate young, tender stems raw; while older stems were upended with the leaves still attached for use as brooms. The Kawaiisu peoples of southeastern California used the hollow stems as smoking pipes and drinking straws.

Species Focus – Eriogonum umbellatum

This species, best known as sulphur or sulphurflowered buckwheat, boasts even more subspecies and variants than E. nudum: up to forty! While most naked buckwheat species resemble one another, the numerous sulphurflowered buckwheat species appear in many guises: from a little perennial herb less than four inches tall to a rambling shrub six feet high and wide. Leaves can be wooly and hairy or smooth and bare. The flowers vary wildly too, ranging from white to purple, orange, and a bright (sulfurous) yellow.

Generally speaking, though, sulphurflowered buckwheat forms a low, broad mat from four inches to two feet tall and wide. The clusters of tiny flowers are borne on stems ranging from three to sixteen inches tall. According to the US Department of Agriculture's Plant Profile, “floral displays can color entire slopes starting in June at lower elevations and continue into September or October at higher elevations.”

The Latin genus name comes from umbel, a botanical term for flower clusters that are made up of many short flower stalks radiating out from a common point to form a flat or curved surface. If “umbel” brings to mind “umbrella” that's because the words are semantically related –the stalks emerging from the center resemble the spokes of our umbrellas.

Sulphur buckwheats are native to the western mountains of North America, and are found in roughly the western third of Canada and the U.S., as far east as Colorado and New Mexico. They can live at elevations of up to 12,000 feet. As with other buckwheats, they are not only an important food source for bees and butterflies, but animals as large as deer and mountain sheep will browse their leaves.

Throughout the American and Canadian west, Native peoples found a number of medicinal uses for various parts of the sulphur buckwheat. Paiute and Shoshone tribes mashed leaves and roots into a poultice for both lameness and rheumatism, and drank a hot tea of simmered roots for colds or stomachaches. Closer to home, the Klamath Indians soothed burns with a poultice made of its leaves.

Species Focus – Eriogonum grande (var. rubescens)

A mere three subspecies belong to E. grande (Island or Redflower buckwheat), and all are native to California's Channel Islands. E. grande var. grande is found on several of the Channel Islands, and the very rare E. grande var. timorum is native to the southern Channel Island of St. Nicolas. The only one that is available horticulturally (according to Calscape) is the variety planted at the Master Gardener Demonstration Garden: E. grande var. rubescens. This buckwheat is commonly called red-flowered buckwheat or simply red buckwheat and is extensively planted in native gardens state-wide due to its beauty, compact form, and blooms that last up to seven months.

E. grande grows naturally on the dry cliffs of the Channel Islands, in small mats of leaves densely clustered at the base of the plant. Leaves are dark green on their upper surface and very pale underneath, and round clusters of flowers bloom atop approximately one-foot high branching stalks. It flowers from April through October, providing food to many pollinators, including eleven named species of butterflies. Although its species name comes from the Latin for red or reddish, the red-flowering buckwheat can also sport blossoms in hues of white, cream, and pink.

Which brings us to the fact that grande is an odd name for a species known for its neat and petite growth habit, and which spreads neither quickly nor very far. (Maybe this is why a certain coffee chain got the idea to name its smallest coffee size “grande?”)

The best thing about planting long-flowering natives in your yard is the sheer volume of bees and butterflies that will visit to feed. That, their low water needs, and signature frilly blooms make wild buckwheats a choice addition to your native, drought-resistant garden.

I hope this peek into a few of the many wild buckwheat species will entice you to plant some in your garden. Please be sure to check the Calflora website for photos of each of the 256 wild buckwheat species.

The UC Master Gardeners of Butte County are part of the University of California Cooperative Extension (UCCE) system. To learn more about us and our upcoming events, and for help with gardening in our area, visit our website. If you have a gardening question or problem, email the Hotline at mgbutte@ucanr.edu (preferred) or call (530) 538-7201.

An astounding number of species populate the wild buckwheat genus Eriogonum - over 250, according to the CALFLORA website. And, due to their propensity to hybridize, active speciation continues as we speak. There are species for almost every letter of the alphabet, from A (E. abertianum) to Z (E. zionis).

This article will discuss characteristics common to all of the wild buckwheats, and then focus on a landscape beauty, E. giganteum, known familiarly as St. Catherine's Lace or giant buckwheat.

But first, let's address a common question: do the wild buckwheats native to North America supply the gluten-free buckwheat flour used in pancakes and other baked goods? The answer is no. Although young stems and leaves from our wild buckwheats were eaten by Native Americans, the buckwheat flour we bake with today is a product of the cultivated European common buckwheat, Fagopyrum esculentum. Both genera are in the same family, Polygonaceae. To further complicate matters, another plant in that family, Fallopia convolvulus or black-bindweed, is also called wild buckwheat. This is where taxonomic nomenclature is so very helpful in plant identification, if not always user friendly.

And the last bit of fun with words involves etymology. The Latin genus name Eriogonum was bestowed by French botanist and explorer André Michaux, who traveled to the United States in 1785 to find plants that could be taken back to France for use in carpentry, medicine, and agriculture. During his botanical explorations in the Southeastern US, he came upon a wooly plant with sharply bent stems and christened it Eriogonum tomentosum (common name dogtongue wild buckwheat).  Eriogonum translates from the Greek as “wooly knees” (erion = wool and gona = knee or joint).; tomentosum translates from the Latin as densely matted or hairy, a descriptor originally used for plants that were used to stuff mattresses or pillows.

Wild buckwheats have mastered the art of thriving in the multiple challenging environments found in California. In a 2013 article for Pacific Horticulture, local garden guru Jennifer Jewell notes that these hardy dryland natives “thrive in exposed locations on slim soils” and “are at their best in lean, well-draining soil and full sun.” She quotes international buckwheat expert Dr. James Reveal, who marvels at this plant's ability to inhabit any ecological habitat, from “the seashore to the highest mountains in the United States.” He adds that, “They are among the last plants seen atop the Sierra Nevada and on the ‘outskirts' of Badwater in Death Valley.”

Not content to just colonize tough niches in our state, wild buckwheats provide crucial late summer food for pollinators. They continue to flower after other natives have become dormant to protect themselves from drought and heat. Jewell observes that buckwheats “reliably attract a whole symphony of pollinators including native bees, wasps, flies, butterflies, beetles, and birds.”

Species Focus - Eriogonum giganteum

St. Catherine's Lace is one of the many buckwheat species that provide food to a wide variety of pollinators; it is also a beautiful landscape plant, especially for larger spaces. Its species name, giganteum, reveals its claim to fame; this is the largest of all the wild buckwheats, with the ability to grow up to ten feet high and wide. It prefers fast-draining rocky soil but will tolerate heavier clay soils if seldom watered and can also handle alkaline conditions. Although this species is native to California's Channel Islands, it easily adapts to summer temperatures in the Valley, and will withstand winter lows of 15 to 25 degrees F.

Depending on conditions, St. Catherine's lace can flower from May through August (one source claims it can bloom until December!). The bloom consists of large, dense, flat clusters made up of many small white or pinkish flowers which turn reddish-brown later in the season. The abundant flowers attract a variety of pollinators, including native bees, pollinator flies, wasps, and several species of butterflies. St. Catherine's Lace is what is known as a “honey plant” which means that honeybees collect its nectar for making honey. Finches and other migratory birds feast on its seeds in the fall. And large mature plants offer sheltering habitat to birds and lizards.

The leathery, woolly, oval-shaped leaves are large relative to other wild buckwheat species and range from a grayish green to silver. Occasional summer water will keep this buckwheat evergreen, but in the wild, plants will drop a portion of their leaves as a drought survival strategy.

Endemic to the Channel Islands of Southern California, St. Catherine's Lace naturally populates Coastal sage and chaparral ecoregions. Three distinct species have developed on three of the eight Channel Islands: Santa Barbara Island buckwheat (var. compactum); San Clemente Island buckwheat (var. formosum); and Santa Catalina Island buckwheat (var. giganteum).

As an ornamental landscape plant, it is at its best in native plant, drought tolerant, and wildlife gardens, and when a natural garden design is desired. Its size, form, and texture make it a good choice for background planting, or to fill and soften a bare corner in the yard. The UC Davis Arboretum classifies E. giganteum as one of its "All-Stars," a testament to this plant's aesthetic value and endurance in our hot, dry landscape, and its service to native pollinators and other wildlife.

Each of the 256species in the genus Eriogonum offers its own version of habitat value and native beauty. Visit the CALFLORA website to view detailed photos of each of the wild buckwheats and decide which is your favorite.

For more information:

Jennifer Jewell, “Beneficial Buckwheats,” Pacific Horticulture Newsletter, April 2013

Mother Nature's Backyard blog

CALFLORA Species List

The UC Master Gardeners of Butte County are part of the University of California Cooperative Extension (UCCE) system. To learn more about us and our upcoming events, and for help with gardening in our area, visit our website. If you have a gardening question or problem, call the Hotline at (530) 538-7201 or email mgbutte@ucanr.edu.

 A virus can reduce a plant's growth, lower its yield, and result in inferior fruit, vegetables and flowers. Viruses are often very host specific. Recognizing symptoms can help you take appropriate action, where possible, to manage a virus and hopefully prevent its spread. The following are several viruses that can plague the home garden.

Mosaic Viruses

Viruses of this type can be identified by green and yellow mottling (“mosaic”) symptoms. In addition to the common Tomato Mosaic Virus (TMV) discussed in the previous article, mosaic viruses can affect cucumber, cauliflowers and lettuces. Choose resistant plants when available for your garden. Mosaic viruses are mostly spread by insects, especially aphids and leafhoppers. Try covering your plants with a floating row cover or use aluminum foil mulches to prevent these insects from infecting your plants. Some types of weeds may serve as hosts of the virus, so controlling weeds may be a deterrent.

Cucumber Mosaic Virus (CMV) is one of the most common mosaic viruses. It is usually spread by aphids. It was first found on cucumbers, hence its name; but it can affect many other woody and herbaceous plants, including tomato, melon, and squash. Symptoms include leaves mottled with yellow and/or light and dark green spots or streaks. Young plants may have twisted leaves and become stunted.

Tomato plants infected with CMV are stunted and exhibit “shoestring syndrome,” in which the edges of the leaves fail to develop. Leaf veins appear as long, narrow strips. Tomatoes are small and misshapen, and yield is reduced.

Once plants are infected with CMV, there is no control. Remove and destroy all the infected plants. Disinfect gardening tools that have come into contact with infected plants.

Cauliflower Mosaic Virus (CaMV) primarily infects plants such as cabbage, brussels sprouts, cauliflower, broccoli, rape seed and turnip. It is transmitted in a non-circulatory manner by aphids, which can acquire this virus within one minute of feeding on an infected plant and can transmit the virus to a healthy plant just as quickly. Systemic symptoms include vein clearing – a condition in which the veins on a plant's leaves become translucent. Later, a striking mosaic pattern may develop. Plants can be stunted, and infected cabbage heads develop internal brown flecks and spots when stored in the refrigerator.

Temperatures between 61 and 68 degrees favor symptom expression in plants. CaMV is often found as a mixed infection along with Turnip Mosaic Virus, resulting in more severe symptoms than when either virus is present alone.

Eradicate cruciferous weed hosts (such as wild mustard, wild radish and wintercress) and incorporate crop debris immediately after harvest.

Lettuce Mosaic Virus (LMV) is spread by aphids and infected seeds. It is seedborne in lettuce and can infect numerous other crops and weeds. With this virus, the leaves of young plants become stunted and deformed and leaves may show a mosaic pattern.

Infected plants may reach full size, but the older outer leaves will be yellow, twisted, and otherwise deformed. On head lettuce, the plant may not form heads or the wrapper leaves may curve away from the head. Developing heads may be deformed or brown, necrotic black or brown flecks occur on the wrapper leaves.

Plant resistant lettuce varieties when available and use certified seed that has been tested for the virus. Control weeds to remove potential virus sources and destroy post-harvest residue from crucifers, broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, Chinese cabbage, and mustard.

Practice good aphid management. Control aphid-protecting ants, knock off aphids with a stream of water, or use a silver-reflective mulch to repel the aphids. Apply fertilizer only as necessary.

Beet Curly Top Virus (BCTV) is spread not by aphids, but by leafhoppers. This virus causes leaf curling and distortion, rigidity, stunting and eventual death in beets, Swiss chard, spinach, tomatoes, beans, peppers, cucumbers, squash and many other vegetables. Leaves may turn yellow with purple veins. Fruit may be deformed or fail to develop. The disease spreads by leafhoppers in a random fashion.

To determine the difference between wilting from lack of water and wilting from curly top virus, soak the soil around plants in the early evening. If the plant doesn't revive overnight, it's likely the plant has Curly Top Virus.

There is no cure or chemical control for curly top. Shade cloth can be placed over plants using stakes to discourage leafhoppers and to help tomato and pepper plants grow better and produce more fruit during the hottest summer months. Remove and destroy diseased plants.

Viruses that affect ornamental plants

Some viruses have actually been encouraged for their aesthetic effect on flowers or leaves. The most famous example of this is the Tulip Breaking Virus which can create flame patterns on tulip flowers and led to the speculative market in tulip bulbs that gripped much of Dutch society in the early 17^th century. Today, “broken” tulips with patterns on the flowers are the result of breeding, not viral infection.

There is a virus that affects Abutilon spp. (flowering “maple” or Indian mallow) and is considered desirable. Abutilon Mosaic Virus (AMV)is transmitted by infected sap moved on cutting tools and through grafting. This virus causes yellow to whitish blotches on leaves. It causes no apparent harm and propagators select infected plants to sell.

Much less attractive and desirable is the Rose Mosaic Virus Complex (RMVc), which is one of the most widespread rose diseases in the United States. This virus may be a complex of more than one pathogen. Symptoms in leaves include yellow line banding in a zigzag or “oak leaf” pattern, mosaic, and watermarking (characterized by faint yellow swirls or squiggles). In vein banding, the veins are yellow, and the leaf is green. This virus may also cause distorted or stunted blooms.

Symptoms of Rose Mosaic Virus are more pronounced in spring and fall. In summer heat, growth appears normal and the virus seems to disappear. A plant may be several years old before showing any symptoms. Damage can range from mild and easily overlooked to seriously stunting. Virus-infected plants may grow more slowly, produce delayed or fewer flowers, and become more susceptible to frost damage.

No rose is immune to these viruses. They spread through grafts and circulate through the plant. They are not spread by insects or pruning tools, but infect through budding, grafting, or rooting cuttings from infected plants. A rose can be symptomless until growing in the landscape; once infected it remains infected throughout its lifespan. Pruning is ineffective because the virus is spread throughout the plant. Replace infected roses if their performance is unsatisfactory. Purchase roses that have been tested and certified to be virus free.

The UC Master Gardeners of Butte County are part of the University of California Cooperative Extension (UCCE) system. To learn more about us and our upcoming events, and for help with gardening in our area, visit our website. If you have a gardening question or problem, call the Hotline at (530) 538-7201 or email mgbutte@ucanr.edu.

You say you don't have a green thumb, or you don't have a yard for gardening? No problem! You can easily grow fresh, nutritious microgreens all year long in a sunny window in your home. All you need is soil, seeds, a container, and water.

Microgreens are vegetables, lettuces, and herbs that are harvested very young. It takes less than two weeks after you have planted the seeds to harvest crisp greens that can be added to salads, tacos, sandwiches, and sautés. When harvested as young seedlings the plants contain four to six times more nutrients than the full-grown variety. They contain vitamins, minerals, enzymes, and phytonutrients.

Microgreens are larger than sprouts and smaller than baby lettuces. They can be grown from almost any vegetable or herb seed. You can find microgreen seed packets at most nurseries and online through seed catalogues. You can use single packets of seeds or make your own mix. When mixing a variety of seeds, make sure that the germination time for each type is about the same, so they can be harvested together. That information will be on the outside of the seed packet.

Experiment to find a flavor or combination of flavors that you enjoy. Try growing some spicy herbs and vegetables like radishes, mustards, arugula, or basil. Other good options for this method of growing are beets, broccoli, kale, peas, chard, cress, and sunflowers (sunflower sprouts have a nutty flavor and crunchy texture).

A south- or west-facing window is best for growing microgreens, but they will grow in an east-facing window, if they get at least four hours of sunlight each day. In mild climates microgreens can be grown outdoors. The growing conditions they require are moist soil, sun, and water. Fertilizing is not required.

To grow microgreens indoors start with preparing a container. Re-purpose an old plastic lettuce container or a plastic ‘flat' that came from the garden center. Kits that include a container, a soil mix, and seed are available online. Whatever you use for a container, make sure it has drainage holes and a soil mix that drains well. If you are using a plastic ‘flat' cover the bottom with burlap or weed cloth. Choose a soil mix or seed starting mix that is labeled organic or free of chemicals. The microgreens will draw most of their nutrition from the soil and water. Their green leaves manufacture carbohydrates using sunlight and carbon dioxide from the air.

Fill the container with moistened soil mix to within one inch from the top. Sprinkle seeds generously over the entire area. Cover very lightly with soil and use a spray bottle to moisten the top. You want to moisten, but not drench, the soil. Place the container in a sunny window.

If you plant microgreens outdoors in a native soil garden bed, make sure to start with a rich loosened seed bed soil. Outdoor containers should be filled with a soil mix that drains well (rather than simply your garden soil). Plant in full sun in the spring; but in the summer you will want to plant in a spot with partial shade because our summer heat is too intense for the seedlings. Keep the soil moist.

In less than two weeks you should be able to harvest your microgreens. The plants are ready for harvesting once they have two ‘true' leaves. When a seed germinates it produces cotyledons, which look like small leaves. After the cotyledons appear, ‘true' leaves follow. At this point the plants will be about two inches tall. Use a pair of scissors to snip a cluster just above the soil line. Once you have cut the microgreens you can rinse them gently but make sure to dry them with a salad spinner (or kitchen towel) to prevent them from wilting. They can be refrigerated for a short time. It is recommended that you use them right away so that they keep their crunchy texture and freshness.

Once you have snipped all the microgreens from the container the remaining roots will not grow back. These remaining roots are good sources of organic matter, so you can leave them in place and simply scatter more seed and soil on top. It is a good idea to start a new batch weekly, so you might like to use two containers; plant them one week apart, then alternate between them.

Growing microgreens is a simple way to add fresh, nutritious produce to your diet. They taste great and have a quick turn-around time. If you have children at home this is a fun project to do together. You can introduce the kids to the satisfaction of growing some of their own food and the fun of experimenting with their microgreens in everyday dishes.

The UC Master Gardeners of Butte County are part of the University of California Cooperative Extension (UCCE) system. To learn more about us and our upcoming events, and for help with gardening in our area, visit our website. If you have a gardening question or problem, call the Hotline at (530) 538-7201 or email mgbutte@ucanr.edu.