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Anderson, Wynn

Erigeron divergens

Erigeron divergens Torr. & A. Gray

Spreading Fleabane, Branching Fleabane, Fleabane Daisy

Asteraceae (Aster Family)

Synonym(s): Erigeron divergens var. typicus

USDA Symbol: ERDI4

USDA Native Status: L48 (N), CAN (N)

A variable species, differing in hairiness, leaf shape and size of spread. A well-branched plant covered with short, grayish hairs, those on stems standing straight out; at the tip of each of the many branches blooms a flower head with many narrow white, pink, or lavender rays surrounding a yellow disc. All types are slender stemmed and have flower heads of light blue to lavender-pink ray flowers and golden-yellow discs. This branched, short-lived perennial or biennial, usually has velvety foliage (wider basal leaves/narrower stem leaves) and varies from 1/2-2 ft. in height.

This is one of a large number of similar species. Most usually can be recognized as Erigeron by their low form, many white, pink, or lavender rays, and bracts around the head all of about the same length.

From the Image Gallery

15 photo(s) available in the Image Gallery

Plant Characteristics

Duration: Biennial
Habit: Herb
Size Notes: Up to about 2 feet tall.
Fruit: Fruit is a cypsela (pl. cypselae). Though technically incorrect, the fruit is often referred to as an achene.

Bloom Information

Bloom Color: White , Pink , Yellow , Purple
Bloom Time: Mar , Apr , May , Jun , Jul , Aug , Sep , Oct , Nov

Distribution

USA: AZ , CA , CO , ID , KS , MT , ND , NE , NM , NV , OK , OR , SD , TX , UT , WA , WY
Canada: AB , BC
Native Distribution: W. SD to s. B.C., s. to TX, AZ & n. CA; also n. Mex.
Native Habitat: Moist or dry valleys, ridges or meadow borders

Growing Conditions

Light Requirement: Part Shade
Soil Moisture: Moist
Soil Description: Moist or dry, sandy soils.

Value to Beneficial Insects

Supports Conservation Biological Control

This information was provided by the Pollinator Program at The Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation.

From the National Organizations Directory

According to the species list provided by Affiliate Organizations, this plant is on display at the following locations:

Santa Barbara Botanic Garden - Santa Barbara, CA

Bibliography

Bibref 995 - Native Landscaping from El Paso to L.A. (2000) Wasowski, S. and A. Wasowski

Search More Titles in Bibliography

Web Reference

Webref 38 - Flora of North America (2019) Missouri Botanical Garden, St. Louis, MO & Harvard University Herbaria, Cambridge, MA.

Additional resources

USDA: Find Erigeron divergens in USDA Plants
FNA: Find Erigeron divergens in the Flora of North America (if available)
Google: Search Google for Erigeron divergens

Metadata

Record Modified: 2022-12-26
Research By: TWC Staff

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