Plant DetailShow Menu

Common Fleabane Erigeron

Other Common Name(s):

Previously known as:

  • Conyza
Phonetic Spelling
er-IJ-er-on
Description

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.  

See this plant in the following landscape:
Cultivars / Varieties:
    Erigeron acris leaves and flowers
  • Erigeron acrisstrigosus
  • Erigeron annuus
    Annual Fleabane
  • Erigeron annuus
  • Erigeron bonariensis
  • Erigeron compositus
    Cut-leaf Fleabane
  • Erigeron divergens
    Spreading habit
  • Erigeron flagellaris
    Low growing, colonizing
  • Erigeron glaucus
    Low growing variety
  • Erigeron hyssopifolius
    Low growing in tufts
  • Erigeron karvinskianus
    Trailing
  • Erigeron linearis
    Lineleaf Fleabane
  • Erigeron philadelphicus
  • Erigeron pulchellus
    Low growing, groundcover
  • Erigeron quercofolius
    Short lived
  • Erigeron speciosus
    Upright and branched
  • Erigeron strigosus
    Prairie Fleabane
Erigeron acris, Erigeron acrisstrigosus, Erigeron annuus, Erigeron annuus, Erigeron bonariensis, Erigeron compositus, Erigeron divergens, Erigeron flagellaris, Erigeron glaucus, Erigeron hyssopifolius, Erigeron karvinskianus, Erigeron linearis, Erigeron philadelphicus, Erigeron pulchellus, Erigeron quercofolius, Erigeron speciosus, Erigeron strigosus
Tags:
#fragrant#evergreen#showy flowers#fragrant flowers#drought tolerant#white flowers#semi-evergreen#pink flowers#native perennials#nectar plant#low maintenance#cottage garden#rabbit resistant#salt spray tolerant#deer resistant#children's garden#long bloom time#rock garden#self-seeding#cutting garden#pollinator plant#dried arrangements#poor soils tolerant#wet soils tolerant#rocky soils tolerant#clay soils tolerant#bird friendly#butterfly friendly#bee friendly#butterfly garden#wildlife friendly
 
Cultivars / Varieties:
    Erigeron acris leaves and flowers
  • Erigeron acrisstrigosus
  • Erigeron annuus
    Annual Fleabane
  • Erigeron annuus
  • Erigeron bonariensis
  • Erigeron compositus
    Cut-leaf Fleabane
  • Erigeron divergens
    Spreading habit
  • Erigeron flagellaris
    Low growing, colonizing
  • Erigeron glaucus
    Low growing variety
  • Erigeron hyssopifolius
    Low growing in tufts
  • Erigeron karvinskianus
    Trailing
  • Erigeron linearis
    Lineleaf Fleabane
  • Erigeron philadelphicus
  • Erigeron pulchellus
    Low growing, groundcover
  • Erigeron quercofolius
    Short lived
  • Erigeron speciosus
    Upright and branched
  • Erigeron strigosus
    Prairie Fleabane
Erigeron acris, Erigeron acrisstrigosus, Erigeron annuus, Erigeron annuus, Erigeron bonariensis, Erigeron compositus, Erigeron divergens, Erigeron flagellaris, Erigeron glaucus, Erigeron hyssopifolius, Erigeron karvinskianus, Erigeron linearis, Erigeron philadelphicus, Erigeron pulchellus, Erigeron quercofolius, Erigeron speciosus, Erigeron strigosus
Tags:
#fragrant#evergreen#showy flowers#fragrant flowers#drought tolerant#white flowers#semi-evergreen#pink flowers#native perennials#nectar plant#low maintenance#cottage garden#rabbit resistant#salt spray tolerant#deer resistant#children's garden#long bloom time#rock garden#self-seeding#cutting garden#pollinator plant#dried arrangements#poor soils tolerant#wet soils tolerant#rocky soils tolerant#clay soils tolerant#bird friendly#butterfly friendly#bee friendly#butterfly garden#wildlife friendly
  • Attributes:
    Genus:
    Erigeron
    Family:
    Asteraceae
    Uses (Ethnobotany):
    Versatile plant that will grow in any well-drained soil.
    Life Cycle:
    Annual
    Biennial
    Perennial
    Recommended Propagation Strategy:
    Division
    Seed
    Stem Cutting
    Country Or Region Of Origin:
    North America, Europe, hybrid origin
    Wildlife Value:
    Flowers attract pollinators, bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds.
    Play Value:
    Attractive Flowers
    Attracts Pollinators
    Easy to Grow
    Fragrance
  • Whole Plant Traits:
    Plant Type:
    Perennial
    Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
    Broadleaf Evergreen
    Habit/Form:
    Clumping
    Growth Rate:
    Medium
    Maintenance:
    Low
    Texture:
    Medium
  • Cultural Conditions:
    Light:
    Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
    Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
    Soil Texture:
    Clay
    Loam (Silt)
    Sand
    Soil pH:
    Acid (<6.0)
    Alkaline (>8.0)
    Neutral (6.0-8.0)
    Soil Drainage:
    Good Drainage
    Moist
    Occasionally Dry
    Available Space To Plant:
    12 inches-3 feet
    NC Region:
    Coastal
    Mountains
    Piedmont
    USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
    2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 4a, 4b, 5a, 5b, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b, 9a, 9b, 10a, 10b, 11a, 11b
  • Fruit:
    Fruit Color:
    Brown/Copper
    Fruit Description:
    The fruits appear as a dry seed with light brown hairrs.
  • Flowers:
    Flower Color:
    Orange
    Pink
    Purple/Lavender
    White
    Flower Inflorescence:
    Head
    Flower Value To Gardener:
    Fragrant
    Good Cut
    Long Bloom Season
    Showy
    Flower Bloom Time:
    Spring
    Summer
    Flower Shape:
    Bell
    Star
    Flower Petals:
    more than 20 petals/rays
    Flower Size:
    < 1 inch
    Flower Description:
    Showy flower with yellow centers.
  • Leaves:
    Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
    Broadleaf Evergreen
    Leaf Color:
    Green
    Leaf Type:
    Simple
    Leaf Arrangement:
    Alternate
    Rosulate
    Leaf Shape:
    Elliptical
    Lanceolate
    Linear
    Leaf Margin:
    Entire
    Lobed
    Hairs Present:
    No
    Leaf Length:
    < 1 inch
    Leaf Width:
    < 1 inch
    Leaf Description:
    The leaves are numerous, often overlapping. Around the base is a rosette of spoon shaped leaves with rounded tips.
  • Stem:
    Stem Color:
    Green
    Stem Is Aromatic:
    No
    Stem Form:
    Straight
    Stem Surface:
    Hairy (pubescent)
    Stem Description:
    The stems are well branched. While some portions of the stem are smooth, others are hairy.
  • Landscape:
    Landscape Location:
    Coastal
    Landscape Theme:
    Butterfly Garden
    Children's Garden
    Cottage Garden
    Cutting Garden
    Pollinator Garden
    Rock Garden
    Design Feature:
    Border
    Mass Planting
    Attracts:
    Bees
    Butterflies
    Hummingbirds
    Pollinators
    Resistance To Challenges:
    Deer
    Drought
    Dry Soil
    Poor Soil
    Rabbits
    Salt
    Wet Soil