Virginia Tech Dendrology

flat-top buckwheat Polygonaceae Eriogonum fasciculatum Benth. Listen to the Latin symbol: ERFA2
Leaf: Alternate, but densely clustered at nodes, evergreen, narrow lanceolate (nearly needles like), 1/2 inch long, strongly rolled edges, dark green above, paler finely fuzzy white beneath.
Flower: Dense, terminal, rounded clusters of small white (pinkish) flowers on a long stem, each cluster several inches across, appearing throughout growing season.
Fruit: Brown achene, not showy.
Twig: Slender reddish brown, finely peeling, numerous short shoots packed with leaves.
Bark: Light gray, splitting and becoming finely shreddy.
Form: Small, open, multi-stemmed shrub up to 3 feet tall.
Looks like: coastal buckwheat
leaf flower fruit twig bark form1 map
Additional Range Information: Eriogonum fasciculatum is native to North America. Range may be expanded by planting. See states reporting flat-top buckwheat.
External Links: USDA Plants Database
All material © 2018 Virginia Tech Dept. of Forest Resources and Environmental Conservation; Photos and text by: John Seiler, Edward Jensen, Alex Niemiera, and John Peterson; Silvics reprinted from Ag Handbook 654; range maps courtesy USGS from USDA "Atlas of United States Trees" by Elbert L. Little, Jr., Vol. 1 (1971) 3 (1976) 4 (1977) 5 (1978)