Annual Fleabane (Erigeron annus)

 

 Annual Fleabane (Erigeron annus) 

Annual fleabane (Erigeron annuus) is a native Wisconsin wildflower common in disturbed places such as pastures, old fields, roadsides, and railways. It typically grows one to three feet tall, occasionally taller in rich soils. By late spring it produces loose clusters of small aster-like flower heads: a bright yellow center of tubular disk florets surrounded by 50 to 100 narrow rays that range from white to pale lavender. Each flower head measures about one-half to three-quarters of an inch across, creating the plant’s soft, airy appearance.

The leaves are alternate and sessile, attaching directly to the stem. Lower leaves are broader and often toothed, while the upper leaves become narrower and mostly untoothed. The stems are green and sparsely hairy, giving the plant a slightly rough texture.

As a pioneer species, annual fleabane readily colonizes disturbed soils, helping to stabilize loose ground and provide early nectar and pollen for small bees, syrphid flies, and tiny wasps. It plays a useful early role in restoration sites, though it is not a strong competitor against aggressive invasive plants.

Sources:

UW–Madison Herbarium — Erigeron annuus

Flora of North America — Erigeron annuus

Illinois Wildflowers — Annual Fleabane (Erigeron annuus)

Missouri Botanical Garden — Erigeron annuus

USDA Plants Database — Erigeron annuus

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