Buckwheat tree (Cliftonia monophylla)
Quick Facts
- Type: tree
- Size: 10-20 ft x 10-20 ft
- Sun: Full sun to part shade
- Water: Medium to wet
Care & Propagation
Plant at pond margins, in bog gardens, or any low acidic soil that stays moist; it tolerates brief dry spells but not long drought. Evergreen, multi-stemmed, and happy to form a handsome thicket if left unpruned.
Wildlife Value
Its fragrant white spring flower spikes are a famous early nectar source for honeybees and native bees; deer browse the evergreen foliage.
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🌴 In Florida
The sole species in its genus, and a Panhandle specialty of acid bogs and blackwater stream edges. The winged fruits really do look like buckwheat grains. Note the spelling: nursery lists often write 'monophylia,' but the accepted name is monophylla.
✨ Fun fact
Buckwheat tree is the only species in its entire genus — a botanical only child. Its winged fruits genuinely look like buckwheat grains, and it's monophylla, not 'monophylia,' no matter what the nursery tag claims.
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