Bloomipedia
Sulfur buckwheat (Eriogonum umbellatum)
Photo: Daughter Dad via iNaturalist · CC BY 4.0 · resized

Flower profile

Sulfur buckwheat

Eriogonum umbellatum

Native in the lower 48

Sulfur buckwheat is a wildflower that USDA PLANTS lists as native in the lower 48 states. It's on our flower lists for 4 states, and across the U.S. it's most often seen in bloom in June–August.

10states
4of our state lists
18,137U.S. sightings*

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

On our lists for: Colorado, Idaho, Nevada, Wyoming

Quick look

Eriogonum umbellatum is a species of wild buckwheat known by the common name sulphurflower buckwheat, or simply sulphur flower.

  • It belongs to the Polygonaceae family. iNaturalist
  • USDA PLANTS describes it as an herb (forb) / a shrub with a perennial life cycle. USDA PLANTS
  • USDA PLANTS lists it as native in the lower 48 states and records it in 10 states. USDA PLANTS
  • NatureServe lists it as native to Colorado, Wyoming, Nevada and Idaho. NatureServe
  • In Colorado, most iNaturalist sightings of it in flower come in June–August. iNaturalist
  • In Wyoming, most iNaturalist sightings of it in flower come in June–August. iNaturalist
  • USDA PLANTS lists its flower color as yellow. USDA PLANTS
  • USDA PLANTS gives its bloom period as early summer. USDA PLANTS
  • USDA PLANTS lists a mature height of about 1 ft. USDA PLANTS
  • iNaturalist has 6,111 research-grade sightings of it in Colorado, ranking #11 among the 110 flowers on our Colorado list. iNaturalist
  • iNaturalist has 1,999 research-grade sightings of it in Wyoming, ranking #4 among the 107 flowers on our Wyoming list. iNaturalist
  • iNaturalist has 1,174 research-grade sightings of it in Nevada, ranking #24 among the 110 flowers on our Nevada list. iNaturalist

Sulfur buckwheat gift ideas

Handmade sulfur buckwheat gifts from independent makers.

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When does it bloom?

Flowering records by month across the U.S. (iNaturalist research-grade observations marked “Flowering”) (2,400 records)
Bloom time in each of our 4 states
StateTypePeak bloomSightings*
ColoradoNativeJune–August6,111
WyomingNativeJune–August1,999
NevadaNativeJune–September1,174
IdahoNativeJune–August486

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
Colorado
No list Colorado has no state law listing endangered or threatened plants, so we show NatureServe's Colorado ranks instead. NatureServe: S5, secure in Colorado.
Wyoming
No list Wyoming has no state law listing endangered or threatened plants, so we show NatureServe's Wyoming ranks instead. NatureServe: S5, secure in Wyoming.
Nevada
Not listed Not on Nevada fully protected plants, critically endangered (NAC 527.010). NatureServe: S5, secure in Nevada. NAC 527.010
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 edibility or poison notes on its page), USDA PLANTS) say whether it's edible or poisonous for people. NC State Extension

For petsNot well documented

It isn't on the ASPCA plant list, and NC State Extension doesn't flag it for pets.

🌿 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 sulfur buckwheat in 10 states.

recorded by USDA PLANTS on our state lists not recorded

See the full list of states

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

Colorado counties with USDA records: Arapahoe, Boulder, Clear Creek, Costilla, Custer, Delta, Dolores, Douglas, Eagle, El Paso, Garfield, Gilpin, Grand, Gunnison, Jackson, Jefferson, La Plata, Lake, Larimer, Mesa, Moffat, Montezuma, Montrose, Park, Pitkin, Rio Blanco, Routt, Saguache, San Miguel, Summit.

Wyoming counties with USDA records: Albany, Big Horn, Campbell, Carbon, Converse, Fremont, Hot Springs, Johnson, Laramie, Lincoln, Natrona, Park, Sheridan, Sublette, Sweetwater, Teton, Uinta, Washakie.

Nevada counties with USDA records: Carson City, Churchill, Clark, Douglas, Elko, Esmeralda, Eureka, Humboldt, Lander, Lincoln, Lyon, Mineral, Nye, Pershing, Storey, Washoe, White Pine.

More Colorado flowers

Desert trumpet (Eriogonum inflatum)

Desert trumpet

Eriogonum inflatum

Native

🌼 Blooms: January–December
American bistort (Bistorta bistortoides)

American bistort

Bistorta bistortoides

Native

🌼 Blooms in CO: June–August
Cushion buckwheat (Eriogonum ovalifolium)

Cushion buckwheat

Eriogonum ovalifolium

Native

🌼 Blooms: May–August

Sources