The Orange County chapter of the California Native Plant Society (OCCNPS) will be giving a free four-inch California buckwheat plant to local residents this October to introduce homeowners to the beauty of California native plants in the garden.
Why buckwheat? According to the native plant experts at Tree of Life Nursery in San Juan Capistrano, “In the garden, few plants can equal Eriogonum–or buckwheat–for sheer habitat value. Eriogonums are host plants and nectar plants for butterflies and moths, and are a bonanza for bees and other pollinators looking for summer food. The dried seeds provide abundant food for seed-eating birds, and the shrubby structures shelter lizards and other wildlife.”
Buckwheat plants look great in a corner of a garden, as a centerpiece, and spilling over slopes. They are easy to care for and stay green with just a little supplemental water. Two California buckwheat plants planted twenty years ago near my fruit trees have blossomed for months, and hundreds of tiny pollinators are feasting on buckwheat nectar. These pollinators increase the productivity of my fruit trees and support bird life.
If you would like to add a California buckwheat to your garden, the OCCNPS chapter buckwheat give-away begins October 5 at Acorn Day in O’Neill Park. One four-inch Dana Point buckwheat will be given for free to Orange County homeowners while supplies last this fall.
More details with dates and places for the buckwheat give-away will be provided in future posts. In the meantime, stay cool and enjoy the waning days of summer.
A Buckwheat in Every Garden 
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