Daisy (13)
Daisies, also called Fleabanes, are distinguished from Asters by their phyllaries, which circle the under-side of the flower. An aster has phyllaries that overlap, like shingles, while a daisy's are about the same length in a row, like a fence. Asters bloom later in the summer than daisies. Some daisies range from white to pink to lavender, see Townsend Daisies and Blue Daisies for more species. Here are a few of the many.
Plains Dozedaisy
Aphanostephus ramosissimus var. humilis
Family:
Sunflower (Asteraceae)
AKA:
Lazy Daisy
Photo taken on:
May 14, 2014
Location:
Plaza Blanca, Abiquiu, NM
Life Zones:
Plains
Habitat:
Dry, sandy, gravelly areas
Grows 2"-20" erect or sprawling with lobed basal leaves and simpler stem leaves. Flowers are ¾" across and have 25 to 35 petals with red stripes underneath. The buds nod and the flowers close at night.
Flora of North America reference.
Western Daisy Fleabane
Erigeron bellidiastrum
Family:
Sunflower (Asteraceae)
AKA:
Sand Fleabane, Pretty Daisy
Photo taken on:
June 16, 2015
Location:
Abiquiu, NM
Life Zones:
Plains and foothills
Habitat:
Dry, sandy areas, roadsides
Grows from 2-15" with narrow leaves on the stem covered with fine up-curved hairs. Flowers have fewer rays than other erigeron with some growing between the phyllaries.
Flora of North America reference.
Running Fleabane
Erigeron colomexicanus (E. divergens var. cinereus,
E. trayci)
Family:
Sunflower (Asteraceae)
AKA:
Sprawling Daisy, Fleabane Daisy, Tracy's Fleabane
Photo taken on:
May 14, 2009
Location:
White Rock, NM
Life Zones:
Plains to foothills
Habitat:
Dry, sandy, gravelly areas
Grows to 10" with long, sprawling, leafy stems.
White flowers have many ray flowers and are pinkish underneath.
Young plants have a single stem and a basal rosette of hairy leaves. Runners are soon formed and the plant becomes a mass of tangled runners and tall stems.
Flora of North America reference.
Photo taken on:
April 24, 2009
Location:
Wet Mountains, Eastern CO
Cutleaf Daisy
Erigeron compositus
Family:
Sunflower (Asteraceae)
AKA:
Cut-leaved Fleabane, Dwarf Mountain
Fleabane
Photo taken on:
July 24, 2015
Location:
Scarp Ridge, GV, CO
Life Zones:
Montane to alpine
Habitat:
Rocky, sandy slopes
Grows 2"-8" covered in hairs with fan-shaped leaves that are deeply cut into narrow segments. Flowers may be white, pink or blue.
Flora of North America reference.
Navajo Fleabane
Erigeron concinnus (E. pumilus var. concinnus)
Family:
Sunflower (Asteraceae)
AKA:
Hairy Daisy, Tidy Fleabane, Shaggy
Fleabane
Photo taken on:
June 1, 2016
Location:
FS 27, Santa Fe NF, NM
Life Zones:
Plains and foothills
Habitat:
Dry, gravelly areas
Grows to 10" high, this was about 6", covered in fine hairs that give the plant a fuzzy appearance. Leaves are narrow. Flower buds are nodding but become erect. Flowers are white to pale lavender.
Flora of North America reference.
Coulter's Daisy
Erigeron coulteri
Family:
Sunflower (Asteraceae)
AKA:
Large Mountain Fleabane
Photo taken on:
August 8, 2004
Location:
Lily Lake, GV, CO
Life Zones:
Foothills to subalpine
Habitat:
Moist areas
Flowers are 1 ½" across with many rays. The plant is up to 2ft high with oblong leaves on the stems.
Flora of North America reference.
Spreading Daisy
Erigeron divergens
Family:
Sunflower (Asteraceae)
AKA:
Spreading Fleabane
Photo taken on:
June 3, 2009
Location:
White Rock, NM
Life Zones:
Plains to montane
Habitat:
Sandy and rocky areas, disturbed soil
Grows low, spreading and hairy to 12" with many branches. The ¾" flowers are white to lavender with numerous narrow rays.
Flora of North America reference.
Eaton's Fleabane
Erigeron eatonii
Family:
Sunflower (Asteraceae)
AKA:
Eaton's Daisy
Photo taken on:
May 31, 2008
Location:
Almont Triangle, GV, CO
Life Zones:
Foothills to alpine
Habitat:
Rocky slopes, meadows
Grows from 3" to 12" high with white or bluish flowers 1" across. Stems, leaves and phyllaries have fine, straight hairs.
Flora of North America reference.
Whiplash Daisy
Erigeron flagellaris
Family:
Sunflower (Asteraceae)
AKA:
Trailing Daisy
Photo taken on:
July 1, 2009
Location:
Deer Creek, Gothic, CO
Life Zones:
Foothills to montane
Habitat:
Meadows
Plants are 4" to 10" with narrow leaves and runners. The flowers have many rays and a touch of pink below.
Flora of North America reference.
Shortray Fleabane
Erigeron lonchophyllus
(Trimorpha lonchophylla)
Family:
Sunflower (Asteraceae)
AKA:
Spear-leaved Fleabane
Photo taken on:
July 21, 2010
Location:
Union Canyon, GV, CO
Life Zones:
Montane and subalpine
Habitat:
Moist rocky open areas
Grows to 2ft with long narrow basal leaves and few stem leaves. The flowers are pinkish to white with numerous tiny very short rays. The phyllaries are unequal in length and purple-tipped.
Flora of North America reference.
Philadelphia Fleabane
Erigeron philadelphicus
Family:
Sunflower (Asteraceae)
AKA:
Common Fleabane, Daisy Fleabane, Marsh Fleabane
Photo taken on:
July 16, 2019
Location:
Almont, CO
Life Zones:
Plains to montane
Habitat:
Fields, lawns, roadsides
Grows 8" to 24" with ribbed, hairy stems branching near the top. Basal leaves are lance-shaped to 6" long. Stem leaves are smaller and clasp the stem. Flowers are about 3/4" across with numerous narrow petals that are usually white but can be pink.
Flora of North America reference.
Basin Fleabane
Erigeron pulcherrimus
Family:
Sunflower (Asteraceae)
AKA:
Basin Daisy, Beautiful Daisy
Photo taken on:
May 17, 2019
Location:
Red Wash Canyon, Abiquiu, NM
Life Zones:
Foothills
Habitat:
Dry, silty areas, pinyon-juniper
Grows in dense clumps to 12" high with narrow, mostly basal leaves which remain on the plant. Flowers are 1" across with curling petals and can be white to pale lavender.
Flora of North America reference.