Regularity: Regularly occurring
Life History and Behavior
National NatureServe Conservation Status
Rounded National Status Rank: N3 - Vulnerable
NatureServe Conservation Status
Rounded Global Status Rank: G3 - Vulnerable
Reasons: Eriogonum arborescens is endemic to California and known from the northern Channel Islands, including Santa Cruz Island, Santa Rosa Island, and the Anacapa Islands (Munz 1974) and excluding San Miguel Island (Hickman 1993). The Jepson Manual reports that E. arborescens is uncommon (Hickman 1993). Finally, E. arborescens occurs in Coastal Sage Scrub, and chaparral (Munz 1974).
Eriogonum arborescens is a species of wild buckwheat known by the common name Santa Cruz Island buckwheat. This shrub is endemic to the Channel Islands of California. It may be anywhere from one half to two meters in height and sprawl from one half to three meters in diameter across the ground. The stems bear narrow, fuzzy green leaves at the ends of the branches, each 2 to 5 centimeters long and sometimes with edges rolled under. The bush erects frilly inflorescences of densely clustered flowers on nearly naked peduncles. Each flower is only a few millimeters wide, very light pink in color, with nine protruding stamens. This is an uncommon plant in its native range on a few of the Channel Islands. It has also been planted as highway landscaping on mainland California, where the shrub is not native and does not belong with the local flora.
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