The California Native Plant Society, Orange County (OCCNPS) chapter has created a new campaign called A Buckwheat in Every Garden, to help homeowners improve wildlife and habitat value in their home landscapes. Beginning in October, OCCNPS is giving Orange County homeowners one free, four-inch California buckwheat to plant in their garden while supplies last.

Marine Blue butterfly visits buckwheat. Photo by Kris Ethington.

Tree of Life Nursery began cultivation of 1,500 four-inch California buckwheat ‘Dana Point’ plants in August 2019 for A Buckwheat in Every Garden. By November, OCCNPS had distributed 1,300 of the buckwheat plants to Orange County, California residents.

Lizard shelters in buckwheat. Photo by Kris Ethington.

OCCNPS is mapping the plants as they are installed in home landscapes on an iNaturalist map. You can see all the plants as they are installed at the A Buckwheat in Every Garden iNaturalist page.

Buckwheat map on iNaturalist showing 975 buckwheats planted across Orange County.

In response to the high demand from the BIEG campaign, Tree of Life Nursery recently began cultivation of an additional 1,000 ‘Dana Point’ buckwheat plants for distribution in 2020.

Buckwheat planted in a new Orange County landscape.

Please join us at upcoming BIEG events in December and January.

1. Saturday, December 7, Shipley Nature Center is partnering with STEMscopes program students to distribute 200 buckwheat plants. More details to come.
2. January 11, 2020, Ron Vanderhoff will be speaking at Orange County Master Gardeners in Irvine. Buckwheat plants will be distributed at this private event.
3. January and February, 2020, Roger’s Gardens will distribute buckwheat plants at the nursery. More buckwheat plants are growing for the 2020 giveaways, so stay tuned!

‘Dana Point’ buckwheats wait for a new home in Orange. Photo by Thea Gavin.

OCCNPS is a 501(c)(3) California non-profit organization. A Buckwheat in Every Garden is funded by our small treasury, and is operated with all volunteer labor. Thank you to everyone who has helped make this program a success.

Completed October and November BIEG events are listed below:

1. October 5:  Acorn Day, O’Neill Regional Park, Trabuco Canyon, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., 96 plants distributed.
2. October 12:  Laguna Beach Smart Scape Expo 2019, 306 Third Street, Laguna Beach, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., 64 plants distributed.
3. October 17:  OCCNPS General Meeting, Duck Club, Irvine, 7 p.m., 61 plants distributed.
4. October 18:  Sea & Sage Audobon, Duck Club, Irvine, 7 p.m., 16 plants distributed.
5. October 19: Orange Home Grown Education Farm, 356 N. Lemon St., Orange, 10 a.m. to noon., 48 plants distributed.
6. October 22-24: Roger’s Gardens, 2301 San Joaquin Hills Rd., Corona del Mar, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., 200 plants distributed.
7. October 26: Tree of Life Nursery, 33201 CA-74 on Ortega Hgwy., San Juan Capistrano, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., 76 plants distributed.
8. October 29: H2O for HOA’s, Laguna Niguel Water District, Laguna Hills Community Center, 8 a.m. to noon, 16 plants distributed.
9. November 1-3: Roger’s Gardens, 2301 San Joaquin Hils Rd., Corona del Mar, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., 200 plants distributed.
10. November 1: Fullerton Arboretum, Fullerton, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., 96 plants distributed.
11. November 6: San Clemente Garden Club, St. Andrews Church, 2001 Calle Frontera, San Clemente, 1 p.m., 84 plants distributed.
12. November 8: Laguna Beach Garden Club, 415 Forest Ave., Laguna Beach, 9:30 to noon., 16 plants distributed.
13. November 8: Sherman’s Gardens Lunch and Learn, Corona del Mar, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., 48 plants distributed.
14. November 10: St. Mark Presbyterian Church, 2200 San Joaquin Hills Rd., Corona del Mar, 9 a.m., 48 plants distributed.
15. November 15: City of Dana Point, DP Community Center, 34052 Del Obispo, Dana Point, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., 231 plants distributed.

Common Buckeye butterfly resting on a Dana Point Buckwheat. Photo by Kris Ethington.