Erigeron foliosus var. foliosus
Leafy fleabane
(c) Madeleine Claire, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Madeleine Claire · licence
Family: Asteraceae · Type: Herb · Native
Erigeron foliosus var. foliosus (Leafy fleabane) is a native California herb in the Asteraceae family, recognized by orange-resinous midveins on phyllaries.
Leafy fleabane is a California native perennial found in the North Coast Ranges, northern Sierra Nevada Foothills, northern and central Sierra Nevada, southern Sierra Nevada, Tehachapi Mountains, San Joaquin Valley, southern Coast Ranges, San Francisco Bay Area, southern Coast Ranges, southern California, Channel Islands, Transverse Ranges, Peninsular Ranges, and Desert Mountains in open, rocky grassland, chaparral, and forest habitats at elevations up to 2,900 meters. Flowering from May to August, this plant produces white to pale lavender ray flowers 6 to 11 millimeters long in delicate, daisy-like clusters. Growing with slender stems 15 to 45 centimeters tall, it forms a compact clump with thread-like to widely oblanceolate leaves. Its leaves range from 20 to 40 millimeters long, varying from narrow to broadly lance-shaped, and are typically glabrous or sparsely hairy. The flower heads feature distinctive phyllaries with raised orange-resinous midveins and thick margins, creating a delicate, intricate appearance.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 57 sympatric species; orange-resinous midveins on phyllaries help distinguish
Habitat and range
Habitat: Open, rocky grassland, chaparral, forest
Elevation: < 2900 m
Outside California: northern Baja California
Bloom period
Erigeron foliosus var. foliosus blooms May-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 foliosus var. foliosus native to California?
Yes. Erigeron foliosus var. foliosus is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Erigeron foliosus var. foliosus bloom?
Erigeron foliosus var. foliosus blooms May-Aug.
What plant family does Erigeron foliosus var. foliosus belong to?
Erigeron foliosus var. foliosus is in the Asteraceae family, genus Erigeron.
What habitat does Erigeron foliosus var. foliosus grow in?
Erigeron foliosus var. foliosus grows in Open, rocky grassland, chaparral, forest.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
- Erigeron foliosus var. franciscensis — Franciscan erigeron
- Erigeron foliosus var. hartwegii — Hartweg's fleabane
- Erigeron foliosus var. mendocinus — Mendocino erigeron
- Erigeron glacialis — Subalpine fleabane
- Erigeron glacialis var. glacialis — Wandering fleabane
- Erigeron glacialis var. hirsutus — Wandering fleabane
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.