Plant Details

Fagopyrum esculentum

Buckwheat

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Common names

33 names · 28 languages
EnglishYour language
Other languages (27)
Dutch
French
Afrikaans
Arabic
  • حنطة سوداء[2]
Chinese (Simplified)
Chinese (Traditional)
Czech
  • pohanka obecná[2]
Danish
Finnish
  • viljatattari[2]
German
Hebrew
  • כוסמת[2]
Hungarian
Italian
  • Grano saraceno[2]
Japanese
Korean
Lithuanian
  • Sėjamasis grikis[2]
Norwegian
Polish
  • Gryka zwyczajna[2]
Portuguese
  • Trigo-mourisco[2]
  • Trigo-sarraceno[2]
Russian
  • Гречиха посевная[2]
Slovak
  • pohánka jedlá[2]
Spanish
  • Alforfón[2]
  • Trigo sarraceno[2]
Swedish
Thai
  • บักวีต[2]
Turkish
  • Kara Buğday[2]
Ukrainian
  • Гречка звичайна (Гречка посівна)[2]
Welsh
  • Gwenith yr hydd[2]
Sources & name notes (2)

Names recorded in our plant catalogue and botanical sources, grouped by language. Usage can vary by region.

Numbered references identify names recorded by an external source. Other names are from our plant catalogue.

[1] Catalogue of Life 2026-08-20 — Fagopyrum esculentum Moench ↗

Common names from World Plants, version 26.05, reproduced in Catalogue of Life 2026-08-20. License: CC BY.

Source records
  • Buckwheat (EN) — VernacularName.tsv, line 150045; taxon 3DS8L.
  • Echter Buchweizen (DE) — VernacularName.tsv, line 150046; taxon 3DS8L.
[2] Fagopyrum esculentum — iNaturalist taxon names ↗

Community-curated iNaturalist taxonomy; common-name attestation, not an independent botanical determination.

Source records
  • Common Buckwheat — results[0].names[1]; taxon id 145601; Fagopyrum esculentum.
  • Trigo-sarraceno — results[0].names[3]; taxon id 145601; Fagopyrum esculentum.
  • Buckwheat — results[0].names[4]; taxon id 145601; Fagopyrum esculentum.
  • ソバ — results[0].names[5]; taxon id 145601; Fagopyrum esculentum.
  • 蕎麦 — results[0].names[6]; taxon id 145601; Fagopyrum esculentum.
  • Alforfón — results[0].names[7]; taxon id 145601; Fagopyrum esculentum.
  • Trigo sarraceno — results[0].names[8]; taxon id 145601; Fagopyrum esculentum.
  • Sarrasin — results[0].names[9]; taxon id 145601; Fagopyrum esculentum.
  • Echter Buchweizen — results[0].names[10]; taxon id 145601; Fagopyrum esculentum.
  • pohanka obecná — results[0].names[11]; taxon id 145601; Fagopyrum esculentum.
  • Sėjamasis grikis — results[0].names[12]; taxon id 145601; Fagopyrum esculentum.
  • 蕎麥 — results[0].names[13]; taxon id 145601; Fagopyrum esculentum.
  • Boekweit — results[0].names[14]; taxon id 145601; Fagopyrum esculentum.
  • Гречиха посевная — results[0].names[15]; taxon id 145601; Fagopyrum esculentum.
  • bokhvete — results[0].names[16]; taxon id 145601; Fagopyrum esculentum.
  • 荞麦 — results[0].names[17]; taxon id 145601; Fagopyrum esculentum.
  • viljatattari — results[0].names[18]; taxon id 145601; Fagopyrum esculentum.
  • Boghvede — results[0].names[19]; taxon id 145601; Fagopyrum esculentum.
  • Gryka zwyczajna — results[0].names[20]; taxon id 145601; Fagopyrum esculentum.
  • 메밀 — results[0].names[21]; taxon id 145601; Fagopyrum esculentum.
  • Grano saraceno — results[0].names[22]; taxon id 145601; Fagopyrum esculentum.
  • bovete — results[0].names[23]; taxon id 145601; Fagopyrum esculentum.
  • Boekwiet — results[0].names[24]; taxon id 145601; Fagopyrum esculentum.
  • bokwiet — results[0].names[25]; taxon id 145601; Fagopyrum esculentum.
  • حنطة سوداء — results[0].names[26]; taxon id 145601; Fagopyrum esculentum.
  • Гречка звичайна (Гречка посівна) — results[0].names[27]; taxon id 145601; Fagopyrum esculentum.
  • Trigo-mourisco — results[0].names[28]; taxon id 145601; Fagopyrum esculentum.
  • Pohánka — results[0].names[29]; taxon id 145601; Fagopyrum esculentum.
  • Kara Buğday — results[0].names[30]; taxon id 145601; Fagopyrum esculentum.
  • บักวีต — results[0].names[31]; taxon id 145601; Fagopyrum esculentum.
  • Gwenith yr hydd — results[0].names[32]; taxon id 145601; Fagopyrum esculentum.
  • pohánka jedlá — results[0].names[33]; taxon id 145601; Fagopyrum esculentum.
  • כוסמת — results[0].names[34]; taxon id 145601; Fagopyrum esculentum.

General information

Scientific name: Fagopyrum esculentum
Accepted name (Kew): Fagopyrum esculentum Moench View name reference ↗

Accepted in the cited Kew taxonomic treatment.

Sources [1] [2]
Botanical family: Polygonaceae

Kew's family placement for the genus Fagopyrum (WCVP v16).

Sources [1]
Also known as: Buckwheat
Images: Google Images

Plant characteristics

Layer: Herbaceous
Catalogue size class: Small
Height: 1.50 m
Spread: 0.30 m
Growth rate: Fast
Sources [3]
Foliage: None
Growth habit: Erect, Multi-stemmed

Whole-plant habit and form as described by NC State.

Sources [3]
Life cycle: Annual
Sources [3]

Growing conditions

USDA hardiness: 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b, 9a, 9b, 10a, 10b, 11a, 11b, 12a, 12b

USDA zones listed by NC State; winter survival does not establish reliable cropping.

Sources [3]
Soil moisture:
Well-drained, Moist, Occasionally Wet

Moisture and drainage conditions listed by NC State.

Sources [3]
Soil:
Clay, High Organic Matter, Loam (Silt)
Sources [3]
pH:
Alkaline (>8.0), Neutral (6.0-8.0)
Sources [3]
Light:
Full sun, Partial Shade
Sources [3]

Uses

Edible parts:
Leaves, Seed
Edibility rating:
(4)
Medicinal rating:
(3)
Functions:
Nitrogen fixer, Dye, Bee forage, Fragrant

Description

Leaves can be eaten both raw and cooked, similar to spinach. While they look beautiful raw, their flavor and texture improve when cooked. These leaves are a good source of rutin, making them a very healthy addition to your diet. The seeds can also be eaten raw or cooked and have a nutty flavor with a somewhat grainy texture. You can soak the seeds overnight in warm water, let them sprout, and then add them to salads. They can also be ground into a powder and used in dishes such as pancakes, noodles, bread, and even as a thickening agent in soups. Additionally, they are rich in vitamin B6. With the grain, you can even brew an excellent beer.

Harvest

Harvest starts: 01/08
Harvest ends: 15/09

Sources and references

References for the information marked with source numbers on this page.

Sources checked
  1. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew World Checklist of Vascular Plants, version 16, extracted 4 June 2026
    Supports: Botanical familyTaxonomy
    Relevant sections
    • Botanical family: WCVP v16, wcvp_names.csv row 795908; name ID 2807292; Fagopyrum Mill.. Family column.
    • Taxonomy: WCVP v16, wcvp_names.csv row 1391636; name ID 2807310; Fagopyrum esculentum Moench.

    Source checked on .

    Source data licence: CC BY 3.0.

  2. Catalogue of Life Catalogue of Life 2026-08-20 — Fagopyrum esculentum

    Taxonomic data from World Plants, version 26.05, reproduced in Catalogue of Life 2026-08-20.

    Supports: Taxonomy
    Relevant sections
    • Taxonomy: COL 2026-08-20, NameUsage.tsv line 237166, ID 3DS8L: Fagopyrum esculentum Moench (accepted).

    Source checked on .

  3. NC State Extension, North Carolina State University Fagopyrum esculentum — Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox
    Supports: Growth rateGrowth habitLife cycleLightSoil moistureSoil textureSoil pHUSDA hardiness
    Relevant sections
    • Growth rate: Growth Rate
    • Growth habit: Habit/Form
    • Life cycle: Life Cycle
    • Light: Light
    • Soil moisture: Soil Drainage
    • Soil texture: Soil Texture
    • Soil pH: Soil pH
    • USDA hardiness: USDA Plant Hardiness Zone

    Source checked on .