Erigeron species - Fleabanes

This family used to be called Conyza. As their names suggest they arrived from abroad, some by escaping from gardens. They used to be only found in the south of Britain but are increasingly found in waste ground and streets around vc77.

Erigeron canadensis - Canadian Fleabane is the commonest one, at the moment. It can be very plentiful in well drained field margins or waste ground. Very variable in height but always slender with many narrow leaves and a long cluster of tiny flower heads. The white rays are clearly visible above the green ± hairless bracts.

Erigeron acris - Blue Fleabane. This is a hairy plant, flowers with yellow centres and short erect lilac ray florets with green hairy bracts with purple tips.

Erigeron karvinskianus - Mexican Fleabane is a fairly common garden escape. It is Daisy-like white to mauve above and purple to pink below.

Erigeron sumatrensis - Guernsey Fleabane is now spreading quite quickly. It was first reported in Guernsey but is actually from South America. It is like E. canadensis but the bracts are hairy and red-tipped.

There are other plants called Fleabanes, not in this family.