Erigeron divergens
Spreading fleabane, Spreading Fleabane
(c) Andrew Meeds, some rights reserved (CC BY) · licence
Family: Asteraceae · Type: Herb · Native
Erigeron divergens (Spreading fleabane) is a native California herb in the Asteraceae family, recognized by annual habit and nodding buds.
Spreading fleabane is a California native annual found in Sierra Nevada (excluding Tehachapi), Sutter Buttes, southern California mountains, Great Basin, and desert regions in desert scrub to yellow-pine forest habitats at elevations of 500 to 2,600 meters. Flowering from March to August, this plant produces white to purple ray flowers with flower heads 7 to 11 millimeters wide, typically with 75 to 150 delicate rays. Growing 10 to 45 centimeters tall with simple or branched stems that are evenly covered in short hairs, it emerges from a slender taproot. Its basal and lower stem leaves are approximately obovate, 2 to 6 centimeters long, mostly entire or sometimes pinnately lobed, and densely puberulent. The flower heads are radiate with nodding buds and have phyllaries that are evenly hairy with minute glandular surfaces.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 62 sympatric species; annual habit and nodding buds help distinguish
Habitat and range
Habitat: Desert scrub to yellow-pine forest
Elevation: 500-2600 m
Outside California: to British Columbia, Texas, northwestern Mexico
Bloom period
Erigeron divergens blooms Mar-Aug.
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 divergens native to California?
Yes. Erigeron divergens is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Erigeron divergens bloom?
Erigeron divergens blooms Mar-Aug.
What plant family does Erigeron divergens belong to?
Erigeron divergens is in the Asteraceae family, genus Erigeron.
What habitat does Erigeron divergens grow in?
Erigeron divergens grows in Desert scrub to yellow-pine forest.
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.