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| ## WYETH buckwheat {#wyeth-buckwheat .Title-Header}                   |
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| *Eriogonum heracleoides* Nutt.                                        |
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| Plant Symbol = ERHE2                                                  |
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Contributed by: USDA NRCS, Boise, Idaho

![](media/image2.jpeg){width="2.9868055555555557in"
height="2.234722222222222in"}

Parsnipflower buckwheat.

Derek J. Tilley, USDA NRCS Idaho PMC

##### Alternate Names {#alternate-names .Header-3}

Whorled buckwheat, Parsnipflower buckwheat

##### Uses {#uses .Header-3}

*Restoration/low water use landscaping:* Wyeth buckwheat produces large
splays of small, cream to yellow colored flowers and has tremendous
potential for use in native landscaping and drought tolerant plantings
in the semi-arid regions of western North America (Young 1989). Wyeth
buckwheat can be used in seeding mixtures to increase the forb-
sub-shrub component in native species diversification and site
restoration planting projects in the sagebrush steppe and mountain
foothills of the Intermountain West. Flowers of buckwheat species are
known to attract insects which are an important part of the diets of
insect loving species such as sage grouse (*Centrocercus urophasianus*).
Wyeth buckwheat has little or no forage value for livestock (USDA,
1937).

*Ethnobotanical*: A decoction of roots and stems are said to have been
used to treat colds and tuberculosis and to treat cuts and sores (Turner
and others 1980). Root decoctions have also been reported to have been
used for diarrhea, stomachaches and other ailments (Steedman 1930).

##### Status {#status .Header-3}

Consult the PLANTS Web site and your State Department of Natural
Resources for this plant's current status (e.g. threatened or endangered
species, state noxious status, and wetland indicator values).

#####  {#section .Header-3}

##### Description {#description .Header-3}

*General*: Buckwheat family (Polygonaceae). Wyeth buckwheat is a
perennial forb to sub-shrub with a branching woody stem. Leaves are
covered with dense white hairs making the herbage appear a light green
to blue-grayish color. The flowers are a creamy-yellow color and have
six petals which are borne in simple or compound umbels. Plants of Wyeth
buckwheat can be distinguished from other closely related members of the
genus by having a whorl of 5 to 10 leaves at midpoint of flowering stem;
however in some subspecies this is not apparent (Freeman and Reveal
2005). The seeds, or achenes, are light to dark brown from 3 to 5 mm
long. There are approximately 374,000 seeds/kg (170,000 seeds/lb).

*Distribution*: The species range includes the Rocky Mountain and
Intermountain western states from British Columbia and Alberta south to
Utah and Nevada. For current distribution, please consult the Plant
Profile page for this species on the PLANTS Web site.

*Habitat*: Plants of Wyeth buckwheat can be found growing in rocky
soils, often on slopes and dry canyons. This species is frequently found
growing in association with mountain big sagebrush (*Artemisia*
*tridentata* ssp. *vaseyana*) and antelope bitterbrush (*Purshia
tridentata*).

##### Adaptation {#adaptation .Header-3}

Plants are found growing naturally in areas receiving 12 inches to about
25 inches annual precipitation. Wyeth buckwheat grows in mountain
foothills at the upper end of the Wyoming big sagebrush zone and into
the mountainous coniferous and deciduous forest regions. Wyeth buckwheat
typically occupies sites at lower elevation and precipitation than
sulphurflower buckwheat (*E. umbellatum*), but the ranges of the two
species do overlap. Plants grow in course, rocky, well-drained soils.

##### Establishment {#establishment .Header-3}

Recently harvested seed is typically dormant and responds best to a 16
to 24 week chilling period at 2º C (36 º F) (Meyer and Paulsen 2000).
Seed should be planted at or just below the soil surface, to no more
than 3mm (0.25 in) depth. The full seeding rate is 3.4 kg/ha PLS (4.0
lb/ac PLS), but this species should not be seeded in a pure stand. This
species would normally be included in native seed mixtures at a rate of
0.3 to 0.6 kg/ha PLS (1/4 to 1/2 lb/ac PLS).

##### Management {#management .Header-3}

##### When planted in a native reclamation seed mix, Wyeth buckwheat will be a minor component of the establishing plant community; therefore management should be based on other key species in the mixture. Any new planting should be deferred from livestock grazing until it is well established which may require 1 to 3 years. {#when-planted-in-a-native-reclamation-seed-mix-wyeth-buckwheat-will-be-a-minor-component-of-the-establishing-plant-community-therefore-management-should-be-based-on-other-key-species-in-the-mixture.-any-new-planting-should-be-deferred-from-livestock-grazing-until-it-is-well-established-which-may-require-1-to-3-years. .Header-3}

##### Pests and Potential Problems {#pests-and-potential-problems .Header-3}

Seed collections often contain insect larvae in the seeds. Placing seeds
in a freezer (0 to 10º F) for 7 to 10 days prior to long term storage
effectively kills insect pathogens.

##### Environmental Concerns {#environmental-concerns .Header-3}

Wyeth buckwheat is a species native to the Intermountain and Rocky
Mountain West. The species is not considered weedy or invasive, but
plants can spread to adjoining vegetative communities under ideal
environmental conditions.

##### Seed and Plant Production {#seed-and-plant-production .Header-3}

##### ![](media/image3.jpeg){width="3.0236111111111112in" height="2.623611111111111in"} {#section-1 .Header-3}

##### Parsnipflower buckwheat seed.  {#parsnipflower-buckwheat-seed. .Header-3}

##### Derek J. Tilley, USDA NRCS Idaho PMC {#derek-j.-tilley-usda-nrcs-idaho-pmc .Header-3}

#####  {#section-2 .Header-3}

Seed should be planted in late fall as a dormant planting to allow
proper stratification of the seed over winter. For best results the
seedbed should be weed free, moist and firmly packed. The use of weed
barrier fabric is very effective at controlling weeds. Additionally,
preliminary herbicide tolerance trials conducted at the University of
Oregon, Malheur Experiment Station on sulphurflower buckwheat indicated
Prowl® (pendimethalin) Treflan® (trifluralin) and Balan® (benefin) look
promising for use in seed production fields (Shock and others 2006). J.
Herbert Stone Nursery in Oregon recommends soil fumigation prior to
planting forb seed production fields to eliminate soil borne pathogens
and to reduce weed competition (Archibald 2006). Buckwheat seed should
be planted to a depth of no more than 3 to 6 mm (0.125 to 0.25 in). When
planting in weed barrier fabric, plant at 9 to 18 in spacing. When drill
seeding, use a seeding rate of 20 to 30 pure live seeds (PLS) per linear
foot (Ogle and others 2006).

Seed can be harvested by hand or direct combined in mid to late July.
Due to the wide window of seed ripening it may be beneficial to harvest
multiple times by hand to obtain the greatest amount of viable seed.

#####  {#section-3 .Header-3}

##### For seed cleaning, run harvested material through a hammermill followed by an air screen cleaner. Check cleaned seed for holes or other insect damage which may indicate the absence or damage of the seed within the achene. It may be necessary to reclean using the air screen cleaner with the blower on a higher setting to remove empty achenes. {#for-seed-cleaning-run-harvested-material-through-a-hammermill-followed-by-an-air-screen-cleaner.-check-cleaned-seed-for-holes-or-other-insect-damage-which-may-indicate-the-absence-or-damage-of-the-seed-within-the-achene.-it-may-be-necessary-to-reclean-using-the-air-screen-cleaner-with-the-blower-on-a-higher-setting-to-remove-empty-achenes. .Header-3}

#####  {#section-4 .Header-3}

##### Cultivars, Improved, and Selected Materials (and area of origin) {#cultivars-improved-and-selected-materials-and-area-of-origin .Header-3}

There are currently no commercial releases of Wyeth buckwheat; however
wildland collected seed is available. The Aberdeen, Idaho Plant
Materials Center is currently conducting a common garden study to
evaluate accessions for potential release. Contact your local Natural
Resources Conservation Service office for more information. Look in the
phone book under "United States Government." The Natural Resources
Conservation Service will be listed under the subheading "Department of
Agriculture."

##### References {#references .Header-3}

Archibald, C. 2006. Seed production protocols for *Anaphalis
margaritaceae, Eriophyllum lanatum* and *Eriogonum umbellatum*. Native
Plants Journal 7(1):47-51.

Freeman, C.C. and J.L. Reveal. 2005. Polygonaceae. In: *Flora of North
America*. Volume 5: *Magnoliophyta: Caryophyllidae*, part 2. Oxford
University Press. New York, New York. Pp. 216-601.

Meyer, S.E. and A. Paulsen. 2000. Chilling requirements for seed
germination of 10 Utah species of perennial wild buckwheat. Native
Plants Journal 1:18-24.

#####  {#section-5 .Header-3}

Ogle, D. G., L. St. John, M. Stannard & L. Holzworth. 2003. Technical
Note 24: Grass, grass-like, forb, legume, and woody species for the
intermountain west. USDA-NRCS, Boise, ID. ID-TN 24, Jan. 2003. 41p.

Shock, C.C., Ishida, J. and C. Ransom. 2006. Identification of
herbicides for use in native forb seed production. In: Great Basin
Native Plant Selection and Increase Project, FY05 Progress Report. pp.
32-35.

#####  {#section-6 .Header-3}

##### Steedman, E.V. 1930. Ethnobotany of the Thompson Indians of British Columbia, based on field notes by James A. Teit. Bulletin du Bureau d\'Ethnologie 45: 441-522. {#steedman-e.v.-1930.-ethnobotany-of-the-thompson-indians-of-british-columbia-based-on-field-notes-by-james-a.-teit.-bulletin-du-bureau-dethnologie-45-441-522. .Header-3}

#####  {#section-7 .Header-3}

##### Turner, N.J., Bouchard, R., and D.I.D. Kennedy. 1980. Ethnobotany of the Okanagan-Coleville Indians of British Columbia and Washington. Victoria. {#turner-n.j.-bouchard-r.-and-d.i.d.-kennedy.-1980.-ethnobotany-of-the-okanagan-coleville-indians-of-british-columbia-and-washington.-victoria. .Header-3}

#####  {#section-8 .Header-3}

##### USDA. 1937. Range Plant Handbook. United States Government Printing Office, Washington DC. {#usda.-1937.-range-plant-handbook.-united-states-government-printing-office-washington-dc. .Header-3}

#####  {#section-9 .Header-3}

##### Young, J.A. 1989. Germination of seeds of sulphur flower. Journal of Seed Technology 13:31-38. {#young-j.a.-1989.-germination-of-seeds-of-sulphur-flower.-journal-of-seed-technology-1331-38. .Header-3}

#####  {#section-10 .Header-3}

##### Prepared By {#prepared-by .Header-3}

Derek Tilley, Range Conservationist (Plants), USDA NRCS Plant Materials
Center, Aberdeen, Idaho

Dan Ogle, Plant Materials Specialist, USDA NRCS Idaho State Office,
Boise, Idaho

Loren St. John, Manager, USDA NRCS Plant Materials Center, Aberdeen,
Idaho

##### Species Coordinator {#species-coordinator .Header-3}

Dan Ogle, Plant Materials Specialist, USDA NRCS Idaho State Office,
Boise, Idaho

##### Edited: 012207 djt; 011907 dgo; 011907 lsj; 011907 jb; 081008 jsp {#edited-012207-djt-011907-dgo-011907-lsj-011907-jb-081008-jsp .Header-4}

For more information about this and other plants, please contact your
local NRCS field office or Conservation District, and visit the PLANTS
Web site\<[http://plants.usda.gov](http://plants.usda.gov/)\> or the
Plant Materials Program Web site
\<[http://Plant-Materials.nrcs.usda.gov](http://Plant-Materials.nrcs.usda.gov/)\>

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orientation, and marital or family status. (Not all prohibited bases
apply to all programs.) Persons with disabilities who require
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large print, audiotape, etc.) should contact USDA\'s [TARGET
Center](http://www.usda.gov/oo/target.htm) at 202-720-2600 (voice and
TDD).*

*To file a complaint of discrimination write USDA, Director, Office of
Civil Rights, Room 326-W, Whitten Building, 14th and Independence
Avenue, SW, Washington, DC 20250-9410 or call 202-720-5964 (voice or
TDD). USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer.*

*Read about [Civil Rights at the Natural Resources Convervation
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