Plant Name
Scientific Name: Erigeron divergens
Common Names: Spreading Fleabane, Layered Daisy
Plant Characteristics
Duration: Biennial
Growth Habit: Herb/Forb
Arizona Native Status: Native
Habitat: Desert, Upland, Mountain
Flower Color: White to tinged pink, Lavender pink
Flowering Season: Spring, Summer, Fall. This common wildflower blooms earlier in the year at lower elevations.
Height: To 18 inches (46 cm) tall
Description: The flower heads have yellow disks and numerous rays that open lavender pink and later turn white. The disks are ringed by multiple layers of slender, equal in length, non-reflexed rays that turn lilac when dry. The flower buds are nodding and have bright pink petals. The flowers are followed by bristly seeds. The upper leaves are alternate, small, and narrowly linear, while the lower leaves are larger and pinnately lobed. The basal leaves soon drop off the plants, leaving only the stem leaves. The stems are hairy.
The similar Arid Throne Fleabane (Erigeron arisolius) has erect flower buds and reflexed rays, while Lobed Fleabane (Erigeron lobatus) has persistent basal leaves and white rays that dry to dark blue color.
Classification
Kingdom: Plantae – Plants
Subkingdom: Tracheobionta – Vascular plants
Superdivision: Spermatophyta – Seed plants
Division: Magnoliophyta – Flowering plants
Class: Magnoliopsida – Dicotyledons
Subclass: Asteridae
Order: Asterales
Family: Asteraceae – Aster family
Genus: Erigeron L. – fleabane
Species: Erigeron divergens Torr. & A. Gray – spreading fleabane
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