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Polygonaceae FAMILY

Eriogonum alatum

Eriogonum alatum

Edibility
2/5
Medicinal
1/5

Safety & Hazards

None known

Cultivation Details

HabitPerennial
Growth—

We have very little information on this species and do not know if it will be hardy in Britain. There are two main forms of the plant, the type variety (Eriogonum alatum var. alatum) is rarely cultivated since an individual plant may go up to seven (or more) years before flowering, after which it dies[1]. It is unclear whether the variety glabriusculum also does this[PFAF]. The notes below are based on the needs of other members of this genus. Requires a loose lean gritty well-drained soil in a very sunny position[2]. Succeeds in dry soils. Tolerates exposed positions[2]. Requires some protection from winter wet[3]. Established plants resent root disturbance[2].

Propagation

Seed - best sown as soon as it is ripe in the autumn in a sandy compost in a greenhouse. Sow stored seed in early spring in a warm greenhouse[3]. As soon as they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and grow them on in the greenhouse for at least their first winter. Plant out in late spring or early summer, after the last expected frosts. Division in early spring[3]. This has to be done with care because the plant resents root disturbance[2]. Try to obtain divisions from around the edges of the plants without digging up the whole clump. Tease the divisions out with as much root on them as possible and pot them up. Grow them on in light shade in the greenhouse until they are rooting well and plant them out in the summer. Cuttings of greenwood with a heel in the summer[2]. Cite as: Temperate Plants Database, Ken Fern. temperate.theferns.info. 2026-02-21. <temperate.theferns.info/plant/Eriogonum+alatum>

Pollinators

Data unavailable

References

  1. [1]Flora of N. America — http://flora.huh.harvard.edu/fna/ ↩︎An on-line version of the flora with an excellent description of the plant including a brief mention of plant uses.
  2. [2]The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. — Huxley. A. · MacMillan Press · 1992 · ISBN 0-333-47494-5 ↩︎Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
  3. [3]RHS Dictionary of Plants plus Supplement. 1956 — F. Chittendon. · Oxford University Press · 1951 · ISBN - ↩︎Comprehensive listing of species and how to grow them. Somewhat outdated, it has been replaced in 1992 by a new dictionary (see [ 200 ]).
  4. [4]Flowers of the Southwest Mountains. — Arnberger. L. P. · Southwestern Monuments Ass. · 1968 · ISBN - ↩︎A lovely little pocket guide to wild plants in the southern Rockies of America.
  5. [5]Plants for Human Consumption. — Kunkel. G. · Koeltz Scientific Books · 1984 · ISBN 3874292169 ↩︎An excellent book for the dedicated. A comprehensive listing of Latin names with a brief list of edible parts.
  6. [6]Native American Ethnobotany — Moerman. D. · Timber Press. Oregon. · 1998 · ISBN 0-88192-453-9 ↩︎Very comprehensive but terse guide to the native uses of plants. Excellent bibliography, fully referenced to each plant, giving a pathway to further information. Not for the casual reader.
  7. [PFAF]Plants for a Future — pfaf.org ↩︎