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Erigeron strigosus

daisy fleabane

Asteraceae North America

Attracts Pollinators Attracts Butterflies Deer Resistant Drought Tolerant

Native to North America

SunFull Sun

WaterLow · drought-tolerant

Overview

Erigeron strigosus is an annual or short-lived biennial in the aster family, growing 12-30 inches (30-75 cm) tall on slender, sparsely branched stems covered in flattened, appressed hairs. Basal leaves are lance-shaped to spatulate and stalked, 1-4 inches (2.5-10 cm) long, and mostly withered by flowering, while the stem leaves are narrow, entire, and stalkless. Flower heads are daisy-like, 0.4-0.6 inch (10-15 mm) across, with 50 to 100 narrow white, occasionally pale pink, ray florets surrounding a yellow disc. Heads are carried in open, branched clusters at the stem tips. The plant flowers over a long season and self-sows readily, appearing in disturbed ground, old fields, roadsides, and prairie remnants. It is shallow-rooted and short-lived, completing its cycle in one or two years before dying. In rich, moist soil it grows taller and lankier and may flop without support from surrounding vegetation. The wind-dispersed seed germinates in open ground, so colonies shift position from year to year rather than holding a fixed clump.

Native Range

Native to North America, widespread across much of the United States and southern Canada from the Atlantic coast to the Great Plains, with scattered populations farther west. It grows in open, disturbed habitats including old fields, prairies, pastures, and roadsides.

Suggested Uses

Used in meadow plantings, prairie restorations, and naturalized borders where its long bloom and self-seeding fill gaps. It draws small bees, flies, and other pollinators to the open flower heads. Because it spreads by seed, it suits informal settings rather than tidy formal beds.

How to Identify

Recognized by slender stems with flattened, appressed hairs and daisy-like heads 0.4-0.6 inch (10-15 mm) wide bearing 50 to 100 narrow white rays around a yellow disc. It resembles E. annuus but is smaller, with appressed rather than spreading stem hairs and narrower, mostly entire leaves. The stalked basal leaves are usually withered by the time the plant flowers.

Appearance

Size & Dimensions

Height1' - 2'6"

Width/Spread8" - 1'2"

Colors

Flower Colors

white

yellow

Foliage Colors

green

Bloom Information

Bloom Period

~16 weeks

Spring Summer Fall

Flower heads open from May through September, with peak bloom in early summer. Individual heads last about a week, and the plant produces successive flushes over several months. Wind-dispersed seed follows shortly after each flush.

Detailed Descriptions

Flower Description

White with yellow center

Foliage Description

Green

Growing Conditions

Sun Requirements

SunFull Sun

Requires 6-12 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 Range5.0 - 7.5(Neutral)

357912

Soil Types

loam sand rocky clay

Drainagewell drained

Water & Climate

Water Needs

Low

Drought Tolerance

Drought tolerant when established

Care & Maintenance

Care Guide

Grows in full sun and average to dry soil of low to moderate fertility. It tolerates a wide pH range and poor, compacted, or gravelly ground where taller plants falter. Water is rarely needed once seedlings establish, as the species is adapted to dry, open sites. Overly rich or moist soil produces weak, floppy stems. A portion of self-sown seedlings returns the following year without replanting. No fertilizer is required.

Pruning

Spent flowering stems can be sheared back in midsummer to limit self-seeding and prompt a fresh flush of bloom. Whole plants may be pulled after seed set, as they are shallow-rooted and lift easily. No structural pruning is needed.