Erigeron argentatus
Silver fleabane
(c) Jim Morefield, some rights reserved (CC BY) · licence
Family: Asteraceae · Type: Herb · Native
Erigeron argentatus (Silver fleabane) is a native California herb in the Asteraceae family.
Silver fleabane is a California native perennial found in the western desert mountains and northeastern desert mountains in the Last Chance Range, growing on rocky slopes and in pinyon and juniper woodland at elevations of 2,000 to 2,300 meters. Flowering from May to July, this plant produces lavender to blue flowers with white or pink ray petals in heads 12 to 22 millimeters wide, with ray flowers 10 to 16 millimeters long. Growing 10 to 40 centimeters tall with an unbranched stem from a woody taproot, it forms dense clusters and is densely covered in silvery hairs. Its basal leaves are erect and persistent, narrowly oblanceolate and generally 2 to 5 centimeters long, with scattered smaller leaves along the lower two-thirds of the stem. The fruit is 6 to 8-ribbed and densely hairy, with pappus bristles 25 to 40 in number.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: Geographically isolated from all other Erigeron species
Habitat and range
Habitat: Rocky slopes, pinyon/juniper woodland
Elevation: 2000-2300 m
Outside California: to Utah, western Arizona
Bloom period
Erigeron argentatus blooms May-Jul.
How to tell it apart
vs Bellis: Erigeron has double-layered pappus (outer scales + inner bristles); Bellis completely lacks pappus.; vs Symphyotrichum: Erigeron has double pappus (2 layers); Symphyotrichum has single layer of uniform bristles.; vs Corethrogyne: Erigeron has simple unbranched stems; Corethrogyne has branched stems.; vs Pseudognaphalium: Erigeron has flat button-like flower heads; Pseudognaphalium has woolly clustered heads without rays.; vs Artemisia: Erigeron has obvious ray petals around yellow disk; Artemisia lacks ray petals entirely.
Frequently asked questions
Is Erigeron argentatus native to California?
Yes. Erigeron argentatus is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Erigeron argentatus bloom?
Erigeron argentatus blooms May-Jul.
What plant family does Erigeron argentatus belong to?
Erigeron argentatus is in the Asteraceae family, genus Erigeron.
What habitat does Erigeron argentatus grow in?
Erigeron argentatus grows in Rocky slopes, pinyon/juniper woodland.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
Sources: Jepson eFlora · Index of California Plant Names · CalPhotos
Last updated 2026-10-07
Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Cal-IPC, and more.