Is this plant invasive?

It can be aggressive in garden settings due to prolific self seeding.

Does it need full sun?

It prefers full sun but tolerates light shade quite well.

Plant guide

Philadelphia fleabane.

Erigeron philadelphicus

Pronounced eh-RIJ-er-on fil-uh-del-FIH-kus

Also known as Daisy Fleabane, Frostroot, Philadelphia Daisy, Philadelphia Daisy, Philadelphia Fleabane, Daisy Fleabane, Skevish, Philadelphia Fleabane, Robin's Plantain, Robin's-Plantain, marsh fleabane

This charming wildflower is a common sight in meadows and along roadsides throughout North America. It produces a bounty of daisy like flowers that attract plenty of pollinators to your garden. It is a biennial or short lived perennial that spreads easily by seed.

At a glance

Care level: Easy
Plant type: Herbaceous perennial
Light: Full sun to partial shade
Indoor light: Bright indirect
Water: Every 3 to 7 days
Mature size: 2 feet
Growth rate: Fast
Hardiness: USDA 3 to 8
Bloom time: Late spring to mid summer

Care

Keep the soil consistently moist but not waterlogged to mimic its natural habitat. Watch for wilting during dry spells, as it prefers steady moisture. Deadhead spent blooms to encourage a longer flowering season.

Watering: Water whenever the top inch of soil feels dry to the touch.
Feeding: Apply a balanced liquid fertilizer during the active growing season.
Pruning: Remove faded flowers regularly to keep the plant tidy and promote new blooms.
Repotting: Repot if the plant becomes root bound or if you want to refresh the soil.
Soil: Moist, well draining soil
Soil pH: 6.0 to 7.5
Temperature: -30 to 30°C
Humidity: 40 to 70%
Drought tolerance: Moderate
Lifespan: Short lived perennial, typically 2 to 3 years.
Deer and rabbits: Moderate

Signs it needs repotting

Roots growing out of the drainage holes.
Stunted growth despite regular watering.

Safety

People: The plant may cause mild skin irritation in sensitive individuals upon contact.
Pets: This plant is generally considered non toxic to cats and dogs.
Children: Keep children from handling the plant excessively to avoid potential skin irritation.
Contact allergens: The foliage can cause contact dermatitis in some people.
Airborne allergens: The pollen may trigger mild hay fever symptoms in sensitive individuals.
Edibility: This plant is not considered edible and should be avoided for consumption.

How to identify it

Daisy like flowers with many thin petals
Yellow central disk florets
Hairy stems and leaves
Basal leaves form a rosette
Clasping stem leaves

Height: 0.2 to 0.75m
Spread: 0.15 to 0.4m
Leaves: green, deciduous
Flowers: white, pink, lavender, 1 to 3cm

Problems to watch for

Powdery mildew · A white fungal growth on leaves caused by poor air circulation.

By symptom

Plant problems by symptom

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Growing it

Propagation: seed, division
When to plant: spring, fall
Overwintering: Leave the foliage to die back naturally to protect the crown. Clear away dead debris in early spring before new growth emerges.
In containers: It is not ideal for containers as it prefers to spread in the ground, but it can grow in a large pot.

Seed

1. Collect seeds in late summer.
2. Sow directly in fall or provide cold stratification.
3. Press into soil surface without covering.

Plant in drifts to create a natural meadow look that supports a wide variety of native insects.

Grows well with

Wild Bergamot · They share similar moisture needs and provide a long season of pollinator support.
Common Blue Violet · They make a lovely ground layer combination in semi shaded areas.

Similar species

Annual Fleabane · It looks very similar but typically blooms later in the season.

Science

Family: Asteraceae
Genus: Erigeron
Order: Asterales
Class: Magnoliopsida
Native range: Widespread across North America.
Conservation: It is a common and widespread native plant not currently of conservation concern.

It thrives in moist meadows and open woodlands where it acts as a colonizer of disturbed ground.

Value to wildlife: nectar source, early season forage
Pollinators: bees, butterflies, moths, beetles
Uses: pollinator gardens, meadow plantings, wildflower meadows

Through the year

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Flowering

Fruiting

Foliage

Ecological indicators

Salinity: 2/9
Soil reaction: 6/9
Light: 6/9
Temperature: 5/9
Moisture: 6/9
Nutrients: 5/9

Taxonomy resolved against GBIF.

Questions people ask

Is this plant invasive?: It can be aggressive in garden settings due to prolific self seeding.
Does it need full sun?: It prefers full sun but tolerates light shade quite well.

Where the name comes from

The genus name Erigeron comes from Greek words meaning early and old man, referring to the white hairs on the seeds. The species name philadelphicus refers to the Philadelphia region where it was first described.

Good to know

It is commonly called Philadelphia fleabane.
The name fleabane comes from the old belief that the dried plant repelled fleas.
It often appears spontaneously in disturbed soils.

Keep your philadelphia fleabane growing

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This guide was generated with AI on October 19, 2026 and checked against GBIF taxonomy. It is general information, not horticultural or veterinary advice. Read about how we build these guides.