By Shirleyrj
California,
United States 
Can anyone identify this shrub? I'm in Northern California. This large shrub is used as a hedge on a median strip dividing a street. No-one can tell me what it is. Seems to be a Mediterranean plant, with its grey leaves. Its flowers are held out from the actual shrub on 3 green stems as it matures, in tight clusters of tiny-petaled flowers, white turning to pink, gradually getting darker. The shrub is multi-trunked, reddish-grey, with a habit of the leaves growing all the way down to the ground. What is it?
20 Aug, 2010
Answers
Thank you! I have researched that name further now and discovered another common name for it is Gigantic Buckwheat. It's native to Southern California. I do landscaping in Northern California and believe it or not, I've never seen this growing up here before, only low-mounding buckwheats!
20 Aug, 2010
They are interesting plants with a couple moderately hardy enough to grow over here. I have been after one of them for a while now!
20 Aug, 2010
Previous question
Its one of your native Buckwheats. This one is called Eriogonum giganteum or St Catherines Lace.
http://idoradesign.blogspot.com/2009/08/plant-of-week-st-catherines-lace.html
20 Aug, 2010