# annual fleabane (*Erigeron annuus*) Annual fleabane is a pretty little flower that blooms in the summer. Its tiny, white petals look like little stars and attract lots of butterflies and bees! - **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Snaps:** 18 - **Habitat:** Urban areas ![annual fleabane](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/.00_2745_Feinstrahl_-_Erigeron_strigosus.jpg&width=800) Photo: W. Bulach, CC BY-SA 4.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:.00_2745_Feinstrahl_-_Erigeron_strigosus.jpg) ## Appearance The annual fleabane has numerous small, daisy-like flowers with many thin white to pale pink ray petals surrounding a bright yellow center. Its hairy stems are branched, bearing alternate, somewhat toothed leaves that are broader at the base. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Plantae - **Phylum:** Tracheophyta - **Class:** Magnoliopsida - **Order:** Asterales - **Family:** Asteraceae - **Genus:** Erigeron ## Interesting facts - Each annual fleabane flower head is actually a tiny bouquet of many smaller flowers! - Its name 'fleabane' comes from an old belief it could repel fleas! - One annual fleabane plant can produce tens of thousands of tiny seeds in a single season! - This adaptable plant can sometimes be found growing even in cracks of city sidewalks! ## Special abilities - **Wind Rider Seeds:** Annual fleabane has tiny seeds with feathery parachutes that catch the wind, helping it spread far and wide. - **Quick Colonizer:** This plant grows very fast, quickly taking over bare patches of soil after disturbances. - **Pollinator Magnet:** Its clusters of small, bright flowers are a beacon for many types of insects, ensuring successful pollination. ## Measurements & details - **Height:** 30-120 cm - **Spread:** 30-60 cm - **Flower Size:** 1-2 cm - **Bloom Season:** Summer to fall - **Edible:** Yes - **Toxicity:** None - **Lifecycle:** Annual - **Pollination Method:** Insect ## Ecological connections - **Pollinates:** European honey bee (*Apis mellifera*) — visits flowers for nectar and pollen - **Pollinates:** [Common eastern bumble bee](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-eastern-bumble-bee) (*Bombus impatiens*) — collects pollen and nectar from blossoms - **Pollinates:** Painted lady butterfly (*Vanessa cardui*) — sips nectar from the flower heads - **Eaten by:** [Groundhog](https://www.snappit.app/explore/groundhog) (*Marmota monax*) — grazes on its leaves and stems ## Traits - [Flowering](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/flowering): Flowering plants are any plants that produce flowers as part of their reproductive cycle. - [Summer Blooming](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/summer-blooming): Summer blooming plants produce their flowers during the summer season, often providing vibrant color when many other plants have finished. - [Pollinator Magnet](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/pollinator-magnet): Describes plants that are particularly attractive and beneficial to a wide range of pollinating organisms. - [Rapid Growing](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/rapid-growing): Rapid growing plants exhibit accelerated growth rates, quickly increasing in size and biomass within a short period. - [Urban Friendly](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/urban-friendly): This habitat trait indicates species that can coexist with humans in urban and suburban environments, utilizing man-made structures and green spaces. - [Pollinator](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/pollinator): Describes organisms that transfer pollen, enabling the fertilization and reproduction of plants. ## Collections - [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/plants) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low Always look but don't pick flowers unless you have permission. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify annual fleabane? Start with the whole plant, then compare leaf arrangement, leaf edges, stems and any flowers or fruit. Opposite leaves grow in pairs; alternate leaves come one at a time along the stem. These details tell you far more together than a single green leaf does. Plant Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How tall is annual fleabane? 30-120 cm ### How wide does annual fleabane spread? 30-60 cm ### How big are the flowers on annual fleabane? 1-2 cm ### When does annual fleabane bloom? Summer to fall ### Is annual fleabane edible? Yes ### Is annual fleabane toxic? None ### What is annual fleabane's lifecycle? Annual ## Where to spot - [Arnold Arboretum](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/arnold-arboretum) — Massachusetts, US · Botanical Garden - [Awbury Arboretum](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/awbury-arboretum) — Pennsylvania, US · Botanical Garden - [Barrington Civic Center Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/barrington-civic-center-historic-district) — Rhode Island, US · Historic District - [Delaware Division of the Pennsylvania Canal](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/delaware-division-of-the-pennsylvania-canal) — Pennsylvania, US · Historic Site - [Drumlin Farm Wildlife Sanctuary](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/drumlin-farm-wildlife-sanctuary) — Massachusetts, US · Nature Reserve - [Lyman Run State Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/lyman-run-state-park) — Pennsylvania, US · State Park [View all places to see annual fleabane](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/annual-fleabane) ## More Plants - [white snakeroot](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-snakeroot) (*Ageratina altissima*) - [tree-of-heaven](https://www.snappit.app/explore/tree-of-heaven) (*Ailanthus altissima*) - [western sword fern](https://www.snappit.app/explore/western-sword-fern) (*Polystichum munitum*) - [common milkweed](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-milkweed) (*Asclepias syriaca*) --- Source: [Annual Fleabane: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/annual-fleabane)