Erigeron filifolius

Thread-leaf fleabane

Family: Asteraceae · Type: perennial · Native

Thread-leaf fleabane is a California native perennial found in the high northern California Mountains and Modoc Plateau in sagebrush scrub and juniper to yellow-pine woodland at elevations of 1,200 to 2,000 meters. Flowering from May to August, this plant produces white to lavender or blue flowers with ray petals 4 to 10 millimeters long, arranged in small clusters of 1 to 5 heads. Growing 15 to 30 centimeters tall with a slender-branched caudex, the plant has stems with sparse white upward-curving hairs. Its basal leaves are thread-like to linear, 2 to 7 centimeters long and somewhat stiff-hairy, with cauline leaves restricted to the lower stem. The fruit is characterized by 20 to 30 pappus bristles that help disperse its seeds.

Habitat: Sagebrush scrub, juniper to yellow-pine woodland

Bloom period: May-Aug

Elevation: 1200-2000 m

Bioregions: CaRH, MP

Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Jepson eFlora, Cal-IPC, and more.