Lovely buckwheat

It's that time of year when the buckwheat plants start to bloom again, just when the late Spring plants lose their blossoms.

And look how lovely the buckwheat blossoms are.

Here is a flower head on the Sea Cliff Buckwheat Eriogonum parvifolium plant.

The plant is also known as Dune Buckwheat or Coast Buckwheat.

Native to the California coast, it is easy to grow and drought tolerant.

It is an important butterfly plant in the seaside and coastal plant communities, and also attracts bees and other pollinators.

I just planted this one last year, Eriogonum grande var. rubescens “Red Buckwheat”.

This is its first bloom, and the buds are a beautiful shade of red or magenta.

The red buckwheat is a native to the California Channel Islands, and is considered a rare perennial herb. In its native habitat it is found growing on dry, rocky cliffs and protected areas.

The blossoms attract butterflies and bees.

The leaves and seeds are used or eaten by birds such as towhees, sparrows and finches.