Erigerons have yellow disk flowers and numerous narrow ray flowers that are white, pink, or purple (but not yellow).  They grow from the semi-desert to the subalpine regions and although a few are uncommon, most are very common.

      In 1753 Linnaeus gave the genus its name from the Greek "eri" ("early") + "geron" ("old man", as in "geriatrics", the study of old age processes and problems).  Perhaps the Greek name refers to characteristics of some now unknown plant or perhaps it refers to the early flowering of many species and to the bristly pappus of the developing seed, or perhaps to the puffy, grizzled appearance of the mature seed head.

Semi-desert. Sandy areas. Spring.
The Hogback, New Mexico, April 24, 2007.

This annual and very cute Erigeron ranges from about two inches to fifteen inches tall with many to few flower heads, depending on growing conditions.  Shown here, the plant is diminutive because the soil and moisture are not very favorable.

Thomas Nuttall named and described this species in 1841 from a specimen he collected near the Platte River in the Rockies on the Wyeth Expedition of 1834-1837.  "Bellidiastrum" is Latin for "similar to the Sunflower genus 'Bellis' ".

Semi-desert. Sandy areas. Spring.
The Hogback, New Mexico, April 24, 2007.

Outer ray petals range from white to pink.  Stems and leaves are covered with fine, white hairs.

Foothills. Shrublands, meadows. Summer.
Navajo Reservation above Teec Nos Pos, Arizona, June 24, 2006.

Erigeron canus grows from two to twelve inches tall in the foothills and plains.  Flowers are relatively large (to about an inch in diameter) and are white or blue.  In the Four Corners area, the plant occurs throughout northeast Arizona and northwest New Mexico, and it has recently been found in Montezuma County in the very southwest corner of Colorado.  

Asa Gray named this plant in 1849 from a specimen collected by Augustus Fendler near Santa Fe, New Mexico in 1846.  "Canus" is Latin for "gray".

Foothills. Shrublands, meadows. Summer.
Navajo Reservation above Teec Nos Pos, Arizona, June 24, 2006.

Range maps © 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 bellidiastrum

Range map for Erigeron canus