About Erigeron glaucus Ker Gawl.
Erigeron glaucus Ker Gawl. is a perennial daisy that grows to heights between 5 and 40 centimetres (2 and 15+1⁄2 inches). It has branching, nodding stems that can be glandular, range from hairy to hairless, and it grows from a stout rhizome. The plant produces thick, firm leaves that are rounded to spoon-shaped, sometimes with a few teeth along the edges; each leaf is 2–13 cm (3⁄4–5 in) long. From April to August, its stems hold inflorescences with 1–15 flower heads, which vary in width from about 1 to 6.5 cm (1⁄2 to 2+1⁄2 in). The center of each flower head holds golden yellow disc florets, and the edges are fringed with around 100 ray florets. These ray florets can be long or quite short, and range in color from deep blue and purple to nearly white. Its fruit is seed-like, with many bristles at the tip. Unusual for its genus, though not unusual for plants growing near the coast, this species is somewhat succulent. This wildflower is native to the coastline of Oregon and California, where it grows on beaches, coastal bluffs, and dunes. While its typical habitats include coastal bluffs, one highly specialized plant association for the species occurs within the two Cupressus macrocarpa-dominant forests in Monterey County, California. Erigeron glaucus grows in several different plant associations, and one of its specialized habitats is within the Monterey cypress forests of the Central California coast.
