Erigeron pumilus var. intermedius
Shaggy fleabane
Dean Wm. Taylor (via Wikimedia Commons) · CC BY
Family: Asteraceae · Type: Herb · Native
Erigeron pumilus var. intermedius (Shaggy fleabane) is a native California herb in the Asteraceae family, recognized by stiff spreading hairs, reflexed rays, cushion form.
Shaggy fleabane is a California native perennial found in the Cascade Range, northern Sierra Nevada, Modoc Plateau, and White and Inyo Mountains in open slopes and meadows at elevations of 1,200 to 1,800 meters. Flowering from May to August, this plant produces white to pink or lavender ray flowers 8 to 12 millimeters long in heads 9 to 14 millimeters wide. Growing as a tufted herb 8 to 35 centimeters tall with a woody taproot, it develops stiffly spreading or reflexed hairy stems that branch up to 4 times below the mid-stem. Its basal leaves are densely clustered, 2 to 8 centimeters long, linear to oblanceolate, with long spreading ciliate margins and rough hair coverage. The plant forms distinctive flower heads with 55 to 115 ray flowers and develops a pappus with 12 to 22 bristles.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 51 sympatric species; key features are stiff spreading hairs, reflexed rays, cushion form
Habitat and range
Habitat: Open slopes, meadows
Elevation: 1200-1800 m
Outside California: to British Columbia, Montana, Wyoming, Utah
Bloom period
Erigeron pumilus var. intermedius 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 pumilus var. intermedius native to California?
Yes. Erigeron pumilus var. intermedius is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Erigeron pumilus var. intermedius bloom?
Erigeron pumilus var. intermedius blooms May-Aug.
What plant family does Erigeron pumilus var. intermedius belong to?
Erigeron pumilus var. intermedius is in the Asteraceae family, genus Erigeron.
What habitat does Erigeron pumilus var. intermedius grow in?
Erigeron pumilus var. intermedius grows in Open slopes, meadows.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
Sources: Jepson eFlora · 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.