Erigeron concinnus var. concinnus
Navajo fleabane
Andrey Zharkikh from Salt Lake City, USA (via Wikimedia Commons) · CC BY
Family: Asteraceae · Type: Subshrub · Native
Erigeron concinnus var. concinnus (Navajo fleabane) is a native California subshrub in the Asteraceae family, recognized by distinctive pappus scales and rough disk flowers.
Navajo fleabane is a California native perennial found in the desert mountains in sandy to rocky slopes and crevices at elevations of 1,200 to 1,800 meters. Flowering from April to June, this plant produces white to pink or lavender flowers with 40 to 60 ray flowers in heads 7 to 12 millimeters wide. Growing 6 to 16 centimeters tall with a woody taproot and short-branched caudex, it forms dense clusters with stems that have spreading, soft-bristly hairs. Its basal leaves are 2 to 6 centimeters long, linear to oblanceolate, with long spreading cilia and soft hairs. The plant has delicate, reflexed ray flowers that weakly coil when dry, giving it a distinctive appearance in its rocky desert habitat.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 14 sympatric species; distinctive pappus scales and rough disk flowers
Habitat and range
Habitat: Sandy to rocky slopes, crevices
Elevation: 1200-1800 m
Outside California: to Idaho, Wyoming, Colorado, New Mexico
Bloom period
Erigeron concinnus var. concinnus blooms Apr-Jun.
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 concinnus var. concinnus native to California?
Yes. Erigeron concinnus var. concinnus is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Erigeron concinnus var. concinnus bloom?
Erigeron concinnus var. concinnus blooms Apr-Jun.
What plant family does Erigeron concinnus var. concinnus belong to?
Erigeron concinnus var. concinnus is in the Asteraceae family, genus Erigeron.
What habitat does Erigeron concinnus var. concinnus grow in?
Erigeron concinnus var. concinnus grows in Sandy to rocky slopes, crevices.
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.