Erigeron annuus (Daisy fleabane)

Erigeron annuus (L.) Pers.

Daisy fleabane, rough fleabane, dasiy fleabane

Kingdom	Plantae	Plants, but not fungi, lichens, or algae
Subkingdom	Tracheobionta	Vascular plants—plants with a “circulatory system” for delivering water and nutrients
Division	Magnoliophyta	Flowering plants, also known as angiosperms
Class	Magnoliopsida	Dicotyledons—plants with two initial seed leaves
Subclass	Asteridae	A large class that encompasses asters
Order	Asterales	Flowering plants with a central disk flower and surrounding petals, like daisies
Family	Asteraceae	The aster family, which also includes daisies and sunflowers; from the Greek ἀστήρ, “star,” for the star-shaped flowers
Genus	Erigeron	From Greek eri, “early,” and geron, “old man,” for the fluffy white seed heads and early flowering
Species	annuus	Latin for “annual,” because the plant lives a single season

About plant names...

Daisy fleabane is a very common member of the aster family, and a North American native. “Fleabane” is based on the belief that the dried plants repelled fleas.

Identification: Plants are up to 5' (1.5 m) high. Stems have white hairs that grow outward from the stem. Leaves branch alternately from one side of the other, rather than from both sides at once. Upper leaves are narrow and pointed at the ends, with coarse teeth or sometimes no teeth. Leaves near the base of the plant are more egg-shaped. Flowers are white or light pink, about ½" (1.3 cm) across, with many tiny narrow petals and yellow centers. This plant flowers abundantly.

9/11/2010 · Nashua River Rail Trail, Groton Center, Groton, Massachusetts
≈ 3½ × 3½" (8.7 × 8.6 cm) ID is uncertain

6/8/2010 · Nashua River Rail Trail, Groton, Massachusetts
≈ 4½ × 3" (11 × 7.9 cm) ID is uncertain

Here are several fleabanes:

	You are here Erigeron annuus	*Erigeron filifolius*	*Erigeron philadelphicus*
Common Name	daisy fleabane	threadleaf daisy	common fleabane
Plant	Up to 5' (1.5 m) high. Stems have white hairs that grow *outward from the stem*.	Up to 24" (60 cm) in height. Stems have dense stiff white hairs. Plants are found at elevations between 4000-6500' (1.2-2.0 km).	Up to 3' (1 m) high, with ribbed stems covered with soft white hairs. The hairs grow *outward from the stem*.
Flowers	White or light pink, about ½" (1.3 cm) across, over 100 narrow petals and yellow centers. Flowers from *April to November*.	Flowers may be white, but they are usually violet in color.	Flowers are pale pink, sometimes white, up to ½-¾" (1.3-1.9 cm) around, with 100-300 petals (*more than any other fleabane) and a yellow central disk. They flower from April to June*.
Leaves	Leaves alternate, attached to stem but not wrapped around it. Upper leaves narrow and pointed at the ends, with *coarse teeth* or sometimes no teeth. Lower leaves are more egg-shaped.	Leaves are very narrow.	Basal leaves are spatula-shaped, up to 4" (10 cm) × 1" (3 cm), with *coarse teeth. Upper leaves may be lance-shaped, but show a wide range of shapes. They usually clasp the stem*.
Range/ Zones	USDA Zones: 3a-8a		USDA Zones: 2-7
Habitats	Moist or semi-moist disturbed areas, pastures, abandoned fields, roadsides		Moist soils at the edges of fresh bodies of water, waste areas, fields, roadsides
Type	Wild	Wild	Wild
Occurrence	Common		Common

	*Erigeron strigosus*
Common Name	rough fleabane
Plant	These plants have an erect stem that has many fine white hairs, and are 12-36" (30-91 cm) tall. The hairs are antrorse strigose—they *lie down against the stem, in the upward direction*.
Flowers	White, about ½" (1.5 cm) in diameter, with 50-100 petals, and a yellow central disk. They flower from *May to September*.
Leaves	Mostly narrow, with a few fatter in the center, attached directly to the stem but not wrapped around it. Leaves *mostly untoothed*.
Range/ Zones
Habitats	Dry prairies, well-lit woods and fields, disturbed ground, roadsides
Type	Wild
Occurrence	Common

Online References:

Erigeron annuus on Missouriplants.com

Erigeron annuus on the Virginia Tech Weed Identification Guide

Erigeron annuus at Illinois Wildflowers

Erigeron annuus on Plants for a Future, a resource and information centre for edible and otherwise useful plants

Erigeron annuus on the Virginia Tech Weed Identification Guide

Erigeron annuus on Fall Wildflowers of New England

Erigeron annuus at the University of Wisconsin's Robert W. Freckmann Herbarium

Erigeron annuus on CalPhotos

Erigeron annuus on eFloras

References:

Peterson, Roger Tory, McKenny, Margaret, Peterson Field Guides: A Field Guide to Wildflowers of Northeastern and North Central North America, Houghton Mifflin, 1968, p. 94

Newcomb, Lawrence, Morrison, Gordon (Illus.), Newcomb’s Wildflower Guide, Little, Brown and Company, 1977, p. 382

About .75" x .75". · 12/12/2020 · Tom and Susan’s, Pepperell, Massachusetts ID is uncertain

6/21/2007 · Pepperell, Massachusetts
≈ 3½ × 2½" (9.3 × 6.2 cm)

9/11/2010 · Nashua River Rail Trail, Groton Center, Groton, Massachusetts
≈ 4½ × 5" (11 × 12 cm) ID is uncertain

6/24/2015 · Nashua River Rail Trail, Groton Ctr, Groton, Massachusetts
≈ 8 × 12" (21 × 31 cm)

10/22/2009 · Tom and Susan’s, Pepperell, Massachusetts
≈ 5 × 3½" (13 × 9.2 cm)

7/7/2012 · Gibbet Hill, Groton, Massachusetts
≈ 5 × 3½" (13 × 9.2 cm) ID is uncertain

6/13/2016 · Nashua River Rail Trail, Groton Center, Groton, Massachusetts

6/14/2010 · Tom and Susan’s, Pepperell, Massachusetts

9/11/2010 · Nashua River Rail Trail, Groton Center, Groton, Massachusetts
≈ 3 × 2½" (8.3 × 7 cm) ID is uncertain

6/27/2012 · Townsend Wildlife Management Area, Townsend, Massachusetts
≈ 4½ × 3" (11 × 7.9 cm) ID is uncertain

6/15/2012 · Tom and Susan’s, Pepperell, Massachusetts
≈ 3 × 4½" (7.9 × 11 cm) ID is uncertain

6/22/2014 · Beaver Brook Conservation Area, Hollis, New Hampshire
≈ 7 × 4½" (17 × 11 cm)

6/15/2012 · Tom and Susan’s, Pepperell, Massachusetts
≈ 5 × 3½" (13 × 9.2 cm) ID is uncertain

9/11/2010 · Nashua River Rail Trail, Groton Center, Groton, Massachusetts
≈ 9 × 14" (23 × 35 cm) ID is uncertain

6/20/2016 · Wildlife Pond Trail, Beaver Brook Conservation Area, Hollis, New Hampshire

8/4/2007 · Tom and Susan’s, Pepperell, Massachusetts

6/20/2016 · Wildlife Pond Trail, Beaver Broo, Hollis, New Hampshire

Erigeron annuus (L.) Pers. var. discoideus (Victorin & Rouss.) Cronquist

Stenactis annua (L.) Nees

Erigeron annuus (L.) Pers. var. discoideus (Victorin & Rouss.) Cronquist

Erigeron annuus (L.) Pers. var. discoideus (Vict. & J. Rousseau) Cronquist

Erigeron annuus description by Thomas H. Kent, last updated 7 Oct 2021.

6/27/2013 · Nashua River Rail Trail, Groton Center, Groton, Massachusetts
≈ 4 × 3" (11 × 7.4 cm)

6/23/2017 · Nashua River Rail Trail, Groton, Massachusetts
≈ 4 × 3½" (10 × 8.7 cm)

6/13/2016 · Nashua River Rail Trail, Groton Center, Groton, Massachusetts

6/22/2014 · Beaver Brook Conservation Area, Hollis, New Hampshire
≈ 5 × 8" (13 × 20 cm)

6/20/2016 · Wildlife Pond Trail, Beaver Broo, Hollis, New Hampshire

6/23/2017 · Nashua River Rail Trail, Groton, Massachusetts
≈ 4½ × 7" (12 × 18 cm)

6/24/2015 · Nashua River Rail Trail, Groton Ctr, Groton, Massachusetts
≈ 6 × 5" (15 × 12 cm)

6/22/2014 · Beaver Brook Conservation Area, Hollis, New Hampshire
≈ 5 × 5" (13 × 13 cm)

10/22/2009 · Tom and Susan’s, Pepperell, Massachusetts
≈ 5 × 3½" (13 × 9.2 cm)

7/7/2012 · Gibbet Hill, Groton, Massachusetts
≈ 3 × 2" (7.9 × 5.8 cm) ID is uncertain

6/22/2014 · Beaver Brook Conservation Area, Hollis, New Hampshire
≈ 5 × 8" (13 × 20 cm)

7/27/2009 · Nashua River Rail Trail, Groton, Massachusetts
≈ 4 × 3½" (11 × 9.6 cm) ID is uncertain

6/23/2017 · Nashua River Rail Trail, Groton, Massachusetts
≈ 7 × 4" (16 × 11 cm)

6/13/2016 · Nashua River Rail Trail, Groton Center, Groton, Massachusetts

6/24/2015 · Nashua River Rail Trail, Groton Ctr, Groton, Massachusetts
≈ 2½ × 3" (6.9 × 7.9 cm)

6/23/2017 · Nashua River Rail Trail, Groton, Massachusetts
≈ 14 × 18" (34 × 46 cm)

6/13/2016 · Nashua River Rail Trail, Groton Center, Groton, Massachusetts

Range: Zones 3a-8a:

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