Erigeron eatonii var. sonnei
Eaton's fleabane
(c) Tim Messick, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Tim Messick · licence
Family: Asteraceae · Type: Herb · Native
Erigeron eatonii var. sonnei (Eaton's fleabane) is a native California herb in the Asteraceae family, recognized by very small size.
Eaton's fleabane is a California native perennial found in northern and central Sierra Nevada and eastern Sierra Nevada in rocky grassland and sagebrush scrub at elevations of 1,800 to 2,800 meters. Flowering from May to September, this plant produces white ray flowers with yellow disk centers in compact heads up to 16 millimeters wide. Growing with short stems 4 to 12 centimeters tall, often clustered in dense groups, it forms low-growing clumps in alpine and subalpine environments. Its leaves are narrow and sparse, typically green and arranged along the lower portion of the stem. The plant produces delicate white flower rays surrounding a bright yellow disk, creating a distinctive daisy-like appearance characteristic of fleabane species.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 18 sympatric species; very small size helps distinguish
Habitat and range
Habitat: Rocky grassland or sagebrush scrub
Elevation: 1800-2800 m
California counties: Plumas, Mono, Alpine, Trinity, Lassen, Sierra, Nevada, Tuolumne, Modoc
Outside California: central-western Nevada
Bloom period
Erigeron eatonii var. sonnei 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 eatonii var. sonnei native to California?
Yes. Erigeron eatonii var. sonnei is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Erigeron eatonii var. sonnei bloom?
Erigeron eatonii var. sonnei blooms May-Sep.
Where in California does Erigeron eatonii var. sonnei grow?
Erigeron eatonii var. sonnei occurs in Plumas, Mono, Alpine, Trinity, Lassen, Sierra, Nevada, Tuolumne and other counties, at elevations of 1800-2800 m.
What plant family does Erigeron eatonii var. sonnei belong to?
Erigeron eatonii var. sonnei is in the Asteraceae family, genus Erigeron.
What habitat does Erigeron eatonii var. sonnei grow in?
Erigeron eatonii var. sonnei grows in Rocky grassland or sagebrush scrub.
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.