This very common Erigeron sends out runners (abundant in the lower half of the photograph) and colonizes large areas in meadows and along roadsides. At the bottom of the photograph in the five and six o'clock positions, you can see where the runners have rooted and tiny new plants are growing.  In this manner thousands of square feet of meadows are often dotted white with Erigeron flagellaris.  Numerous ray flowers give the white; disk flowers are very densely packed and bright yellow.  Basal leaves and most leaves on the runners are numerous, in clusters, and light green.

The runners give rise to both common names: "Trailing Fleabane", and "Whiplash Daisy".  The Latin specific epithet, "flagellaris", means "whip".

Augustus Fendler first collected this plant in 1846 in New Mexico and it was described and named by Asa Gray in 1849.  

Erigerons often fool us into thinking they will have pink flowers, for the buds are often tinged pink.  But as the photograph shows, the drooping pink buds, open brilliant white.  It is common, however, for most Erigerons to have flowers that range from white to pink to light blue.

Range map © John Kartesz,
Floristic Synthesis of North America

State Color Key

Species present in state and native
Species present in state and exotic
Species not present in state

County Color Key

Species present and not rare
Species present and rare
Species extirpated (historic)
Species extinct
Species noxious
Species exotic and present
Native species, but adventive in state
Eradicated
Questionable presence

Range map for Erigeron flagellaris