Common Fleabane Erigeron

Superstition led to the common name fleabane.  It was believed that dried clusters of this plant could rid your home of fleas.

The hybrid fleabanes are beautiful, much more refined than their weedy relatives that grow along roadsides.  The daisy-like flowers bloom in summer and sporadically into fall.  Divide in the fall or propagate by stem cuttings or seeds.  Growing from seed allows you to place the seeds in paving or wall cracks, where they will become a showy mass of blooms.

Divided plants may look stunned for a short period of time, but will perk back up in just a few days.  

Blooming over a long season, fleabane are typically tufted or clump-forming.  

The flattish to open clusters of flowers that appear at the top of the plant may have from 3 to up to 35 small flowers.  Each flower can have 150 plus white rays/petals which are very thin, almost like a thread.  The yellow centers add to its showy appearance.  Closing up in the nighttime hours, the white petals become a pinkish bud until reopening in the daylight.  

Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems:  Although no serious issues, southern blight, leaf spot, rust, and mildew are occasional issues.  Cold, wet winters can cause die off of plants if they are located in heavy soils.