Erigeron breweri var. bisanctus
Brewer's erigeron
(c) Jim Morefield, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Jim Morefield · licence
Family: Asteraceae · Type: Herb · Native
Erigeron breweri var. bisanctus (Brewer's erigeron) is a native California herb in the Asteraceae family, recognized by key features: tall with thick base, very short hairs.
Brewer's erigeron is a California native perennial found in the southern California Transverse Ranges and southern California Peninsular Ranges in open, dry slopes and washes at elevations of 300 to 1,600 meters. Flowering from May to September, this plant produces white to pale lavender flowers in daisy-like heads with multiple ray flowers. Growing with erect stems 30 to 75 centimeters tall and a somewhat thick base, it forms an upright, open clump. Its leaves are relatively small, 20 to 35 millimeters long, with very fine hairs less than 0.1 millimeters in length. The plant's flower heads feature phyllaries with short, white, thin-based hairs that are slightly appressed and less dense on the inner bracts.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 16 sympatric species; key features: tall with thick base, very short hairs
Habitat and range
Habitat: Open, dry slopes and washes
Elevation: 300-1600 m
Bloom period
Erigeron breweri var. bisanctus blooms May-Sep.
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 breweri var. bisanctus native to California?
Yes. Erigeron breweri var. bisanctus is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Erigeron breweri var. bisanctus bloom?
Erigeron breweri var. bisanctus blooms May-Sep.
What plant family does Erigeron breweri var. bisanctus belong to?
Erigeron breweri var. bisanctus is in the Asteraceae family, genus Erigeron.
What habitat does Erigeron breweri var. bisanctus grow in?
Erigeron breweri var. bisanctus grows in Open, dry slopes and washes.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
Sources: Jepson eFlora · 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.