Erigeron sanctarum

Saints' daisy

Family: Asteraceae · Type: perennial · Native

Conservation status: CNPS 4.2

Saints' daisy is a California native perennial herb found in the southern Central Coast, southern South Coast Ranges, and northern Channel Islands in sandy coastal scrub or woodland sites at elevations below 500 meters. Flowering from March to June, this plant produces lavender to purple ray flowers in heads 12 to 17 millimeters wide, with 45 to 90 rays 7 to 13 millimeters long. Growing with ascending stems 5 to 35 centimeters tall that have few branches near the middle and sparse short spreading hairs, it emerges from thin, often stolon-like underground branches. Its leaves vary from oblanceolate to spoon-shaped basal leaves 2 to 5 centimeters long to narrower lanceolate cauline leaves that are sometimes slightly clasping. The plant's delicate flower heads feature phyllaries with spreading hairs that typically have black cross-walls, giving it a distinctive appearance.

Habitat: Sandy sites, coastal scrub or woodland

Bloom period: Mar-Jun

Elevation: < 500 m

Bioregions: s CCo, s SCoRO, n ChI.

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