Flower profile

Parsnipflower buckwheat

Eriogonum heracleoides

Parsnipflower buckwheat (Eriogonum heracleoides) is a low shrub in the Polygonaceae family, native in the lower 48 states, blooming mostly June–July across the U.S.

Native to Idaho

Parsnipflower buckwheat is a wildflower that USDA PLANTS lists as native in the lower 48 states. In Idaho it's most often seen in bloom in June–July.

9states where USDA records it

656ID sightings*

3,227U.S. sightings*

*iNaturalist research-grade observations, as of October 17, 2026.

On our lists for: Idaho

Quick look

Eriogonum heracleoides is a plant of western North America that has many flowering clusters which are usually cream colored, or off-white. It can usually be found in rocky areas, such as sagebrush deserts and Ponderosa pine forests. Parsnipflower buckwheat is in the genus Eriogonum and the family Polygonaceae, which is a family of plants known as the "knotweed family".
From Wikipedia's article Eriogonum heracleoides, CC BY-SA 4.0.

It belongs to the Polygonaceae family. ^iNaturalist
USDA PLANTS describes it as an herb (forb) / a subshrub with a perennial life cycle. ^{USDA PLANTS}
USDA PLANTS lists it as native in the lower 48 states and records it in 9 states. ^{USDA PLANTS}
NatureServe lists it as native to Idaho. ^NatureServe
In Idaho, most iNaturalist sightings of it in flower come in June–July. ^iNaturalist
iNaturalist has 656 research-grade sightings of it in Idaho, ranking #41 among the 143 flowers on our Idaho list. ^iNaturalist

When does it bloom?

In Idaho, most flowering sightings come in June–July.

Flowering records by month in Idaho (iNaturalist research-grade observations marked “Flowering”) (73 records)

Conservation status

Federal (U.S. ESA): Not listed No U.S. Endangered Species Act listing in the USFWS ECOS database. ^{USFWS ECOS}
NatureServe global: G5 Secure worldwide. ^NatureServe
Idaho: No list Idaho has no state law listing endangered or threatened plants, so we show NatureServe's Idaho ranks instead. NatureServe: SNR, not yet ranked in Idaho.
Rare elsewhere: No other U.S. state ranks it S1, S2, SH or SX.

Checked October 17, 2026. Rankings and lists can change, so follow the links for the latest.

Can you eat it?

For peopleNot well documented

None of the sources we checked (NC State Extension (no page for this plant), USDA PLANTS) say whether it's edible or poisonous for people.

For petsNot well documented

It isn't on the ASPCA plant list.

🌿 Never eat a wild plant unless you're certain of its ID; this isn't medical advice. Worried about a person? Call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222. Worried about a pet? Call your vet.

Where does it grow?

USDA PLANTS records parsnipflower buckwheat in 9 states.

AKMEVTNHWAIDMTNDMNILWIMINYRIMAORNVWYSDIAINOHPANJCTCAUTCONEMOKYWVVAMDDEAZNMKSARTNNCSCDCOKLAMSALGAHITXFL

recorded by USDA PLANTS on our state lists not recorded

See the full list of states

California, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, Washington, Wyoming.

Idaho counties with USDA records: Ada, Adams, Bannock, Bear Lake, Benewah, Bingham, Blaine, Boise, Bonneville, Boundary, Butte, Camas, Canyon, Caribou, Cassia, Clark, Clearwater, Custer, Elmore, Franklin, Fremont, Gem, Idaho, Kootenai, Latah, Lemhi, Madison, Minidoka, Nez Perce, Oneida, Owyhee, Power, Shoshone, Teton, Twin Falls, Valley, Washington.

Names, range and relatives

Native status by region (USDA PLANTS): Canada: Native; Lower 48 states: Native.

County records: USDA PLANTS lists it in 108 counties across 9 states; the most are in Idaho (37), Utah (18), Washington (16).

Other Eriogonum on Bloomipedia (9): California buckwheat, Sulfur buckwheat, Desert trumpet, Cushion buckwheat, Redroot buckwheat, James' buckwheat, Alpine golden buckwheat, Annual buckwheat, Few-flower buckwheat.

More from the Polygonaceae family (21 on Bloomipedia; most observed first): American jumpseed, Low smartweed, Japanese knotweed, Mile-a-minute weed, Water smartweed, American bistort, Spotted lady's thumb, Devil's spineflower.

More Idaho flowers

Sulfur buckwheat

Eriogonum umbellatum

Native

🌼 Few flowering records in ID

Great mullein

Verbascum thapsus

Introduced

🌼 Few flowering records in ID

Showy milkweed

Asclepias speciosa

Native

🌼 Blooms in ID: June–July

Sources

USDA, NRCS. PLANTS Database, profile ERHE2.
iNaturalist, Eriogonum heracleoides: taxonomy, research-grade observation counts and “Flowering” annotations, retrieved October 17, 2026.
Wikipedia, Eriogonum heracleoides (lead quoted under CC BY-SA 4.0).
Idaho: Idaho noxious weeds (IDAPA 02.06.09, Section 220).
USFWS, ECOS species database (ESA listing check), October 17, 2026.
NatureServe Explorer, Eriogonum heracleoides (global and state ranks).
Edibility and toxicity: no source found (marked "not well documented").
Photo: Zach Earl via iNaturalist · CC BY 4.0 · resized.