Erigeron philadelphicus var. philadelphicus

Philadelphia fleabane

Family: Asteraceae · Type: perennial · Native

Philadelphia fleabane is a California native perennial found in coastal, northern, and southern California (excluding the Great Valley and Desert Mountains) in streamsides and other moist habitats at elevations below 1,200 meters. Flowering from May to June, this plant produces white to pale pink ray flowers in heads 6 to 15 millimeters wide, with up to 400 delicate rays that curl when dry. Growing 25 to 80 centimeters tall with branched stems that widen below the flower heads, it features spreading hairy stems that emerge from fibrous roots. Its leaves vary from basal oblong-obovate to spoon-shaped blades 8 to 15 centimeters long, often coarsely toothed, with cauline leaves that are lanceolate to ovate and clasping the stem. The plant produces fruit with 20 to 30 pappus bristles, creating a soft, feathery appearance at maturity.

Habitat: Streamsides, other moist habitats

Bloom period: May-Jun

Elevation: < 1200 m

Bioregions: CA (exc GV, DMtns)

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