Erigeron petrophilus
Rock-loving fleabane, Rock-Loving Fleabane
(c) Ken-ichi Ueda, some rights reserved (CC BY) · licence
Family: Asteraceae · Type: Herb · Native
Erigeron petrophilus (Rock-loving fleabane) is a native California herb in the Asteraceae family.
Rock-loving fleabane is a California native perennial found in rocky alpine and subalpine habitats at elevations of 1,500 to 2,500 meters. Flowering from June to September, this plant produces small white to pale lavender flower heads in compact clusters 10 to 15 millimeters wide. Growing with multiple decumbent to ascending stems 10 to 30 centimeters tall, it has a distinctive woody root system with loose, spreading hairs. Its leaves are narrow and linear to oblanceolate, 10 to 25 millimeters long, with long ciliate margins particularly on the lower stems. The plant forms dense, low-growing clusters with many slender stems emerging from a woody base, creating a delicate ground-hugging appearance in alpine environments.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: Geographically isolated - no sympatric species
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 petrophilus native to California?
Yes. Erigeron petrophilus is native to California (recorded as native).
What plant family does Erigeron petrophilus belong to?
Erigeron petrophilus is in the Asteraceae family, genus Erigeron.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
- Erigeron petrophilus var. petrophilus — Cliff fleabane
- Erigeron petrophilus var. sierrensis — Northern sierra daisy
- Erigeron petrophilus var. viscidulus — Klamath rock daisy
- Erigeron philadelphicus var. philadelphicus — Philadelphia fleabane
- Erigeron pumilus var. intermedius — Shaggy fleabane
- Erigeron pygmaeus — Pygmy 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.