Blue Mountain buckwheat facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Blue Mountain buckwheat
Eriogonum strictum in Wenas Wildlife Area
Scientific classification
Genus:	Eriogonum
Species:	strictum

Eriogonum strictum is a type of plant called Blue Mountain buckwheat. It is a common plant found in western North America. You can see it growing from northern California all the way up to British Columbia. This plant likes to grow on rocky slopes and in areas with scrubland, which are places with many small bushes.

What Does it Look Like?

Blue Mountain buckwheat is a plant that lives for many years. It grows low to the ground, forming wide mats of leaves. These mats can spread out up to 40 centimeters wide. From these mats, tall flower stalks grow straight up. These stalks can be 10 to 35 centimeters tall.

Leaves and Stems

The leaves of this plant are shaped like ovals. They are usually covered in soft, fuzzy hairs, which makes them feel "woolly." Each leaf is about one to four centimeters long. The thin flower stalks are mostly bare, meaning they don't have leaves growing on them. However, they are often fuzzy like the leaves.

Flowers

At the very top of these slender stalks, you will find groups of flowers. When they first bloom, the flowers are bright yellow. As they get older, their color changes. They often turn a darker reddish or orange shade.