Erigeron quercifolius (oakleaf fleabane)

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Erigeron, Genus, quercifolius, Species,

Genus & species

oakleaf fleabane

Asteraceae Southeastern United States

Attracts Pollinators Attracts Butterflies Deer Resistant Drought Tolerant Container Friendly

SunFull Sun – Part Shade

WaterLow · drought-tolerant

Overview

Erigeron quercifolius is a hairy annual, biennial, or short-lived perennial of the southeastern United States, forming a basal rosette of deeply lobed leaves from which slender flowering stems rise 8-24 inches (20-60 cm) tall. The rosette leaves are 2-6 inches (5-15 cm) long with rounded, oak-like lobes, the source of the common name, while the stem leaves are smaller and less divided. Soft hairs cover the foliage and stems. From late winter into early summer the branched stems carry daisy-like heads 0.5-0.75 inch (12-18 mm) across, each with 100 or more very narrow ray florets in white to pale pink around a yellow disk. Plants flower freely and set abundant wind-borne seed, often dying after one or two seasons and renewing from seedlings. They grow in lawns, fields, pine flatwoods, and disturbed sandy ground, tolerating poor soil and some moisture. The plant is weakly competitive and short-lived, and the lobed rosette can be mistaken for a weed before it flowers. Bloom is heaviest in spring and tapers as heat builds.

Native Range

Native to the southeastern United States, from the Carolinas and Florida west to Texas, growing in lawns, old fields, pine flatwoods, roadsides, and moist to dry sandy ground.

Suggested Uses

Grown in meadow, native, and pollinator plantings on sandy soil, and allowed to naturalize in informal lawns. Used to fill open, disturbed ground where a low spring daisy is wanted. Its short life and self-seeding restrict its use in formal beds.

How to Identify

Identify by a basal rosette of soft-hairy leaves with rounded, oak-like lobes and slender stems bearing daisy heads of 100 or more thread-narrow white to pink rays around a yellow center. Stem leaves are smaller and less lobed than the rosette. The oak-lobed rosette separates it from the entire-leaved Erigeron species nearby.

Appearance

Size & Dimensions

Height8" - 2'

Width/Spread6" - 1'

Colors

Flower Colors

Foliage Colors

Fall Foliage Colors

Bloom Information

Bloom Period

~18 weeks

Flowers: February–June

Winter Spring Summer

Heads open from late winter into early summer, generally February through June, heaviest in spring. Each head carries 100 or more slender ray florets, white aging to pale pink, around a yellow disk. Small bees, flies, and butterflies visit the open heads.

Detailed Descriptions

Flower Description

White to pale pink with yellow center

Foliage Description

Green

Growing Conditions

Sun Requirements

SunFull Sun SunPartial Shade

Requires 5-12 hours of direct sunlight daily

• Full Sun: 6+ hours of direct sunlight

• Partial Shade: 3-6 hours of direct sunlight

• Full Shade: Less than 3 hours of direct sunlight

Soil Requirements

pH Range5.5 - 7.0 (Acidic to neutral)

3579

Soil Types

sand loam

Drainageaverage

Water & Climate

Water Needs

Low

Drought Tolerance

Drought tolerant when established

Care & Maintenance

Care Guide

Full sun to light shade and moist to dry sandy soil suit this short-lived plant. It tolerates a soil pH from about 5.5 to 7.0 and needs little care once the rosette forms. Overly rich, wet soil shortens its life and encourages rot. Plants set abundant seed and return through volunteers rather than lasting crowns. Powdery mildew and leaf miners occasionally mark crowded plants. Growth fades through the heat of summer after flowering.

Pruning

Shearing the flower stems after the main bloom can prompt a lighter second flush. Spent plants are pulled or left to self-seed at season end. No structural pruning is needed.

Container Growing

Suitable for container growing

Minimum container size: 1 gallons

Toxicity

Non-toxic

Planting Guide

Planting Methods & Timing

Planting Method

direct sow

Related Erigeron species