Flower Library
Fleabane
Erigeron · Asteraceae
Erigeron, or fleabane, looks like a swarm of tiny asters: many small daisies with needle-fine white to lilac ray petals around a yellow centre, loosely scattered over branching stems. In floristry it is the epitome of cloudiness — it fills without weighing down. During the summer season we regularly bring it in fresh from the Veiling Rhein-Maas.
- Season
- June – July – August – September
- Vase life
- 5–9 days
- Latin name
- Erigeron
- Colors
- White with a yellow centre, Pale pink, Lilac, Blue-violet
The cut range mainly features selections of Erigeron speciosus and hybrids such as „Azure Fairy“ with blue-violet rays. Almost everyone also knows the Mexican fleabane, Erigeron karvinskianus — a tireless bloomer on balconies and walls, but too short-stemmed for cutting. Commercial stems arrive at forty to sixty centimetres with many daisies open at once.
For us erigeron is a classic filler for the natural look. Where gypsophila stays white and neutral, fleabane brings a meadowy, slightly wild character — the fine rays and yellow centres positively shimmer between larger blooms. Next to roses it turns a classic bouquet into a summery one in no time.
Its kinship with asters is plain to see, but there is a rule of thumb: erigeron carries two to three rows of extremely narrow ray petals and flowers from early summer, while autumn asters have broader rays and come later. For customers the difference hardly matters — both are worked in much the same way.
In terms of care erigeron is uncomplicated but insists on clean water and defoliated stem ends. A typical mistake is tying the densely leafed stems without conditioning them — the lower foliage rots and further shortens the already moderate vase life.
Its biggest stage is the wild meadow and cottage garden bouquet: with chamomile, marguerites, grasses and scabious, erigeron looks as though the whole bouquet had been cut at the edge of a field. It has also been in strong demand in recent years for loose, natural bridal work.
Is Fleabane toxic to children and pets?
- Children
- Non-toxic
- Cats
- Non-toxic
- Dogs
- Non-toxic
Fleabane is considered non-toxic to cats, dogs and children. Sensitive people may notice mild irritation after intensive skin contact with the sap — irrelevant for normal handling of a bouquet.
Overview: toxic & non-toxic plants for cats, dogs and children
Care
- 01Cut the stems at an angle and place them in a clean vase of fresh water.
- 02Fully defoliate the lower third of the stems.
- 03Change the water every two days, recutting the stems as you do.
- 04Use flower food — the many small blooms noticeably benefit from it.
- 05Keep cool and out of harsh sun.
- 06Pluck out spent daisies so the buds on the side shoots open in turn.
Frequently asked
- Is erigeron the same as an aster?
- No, but they are closely related — both belong to the daisy family. You can tell erigeron by its especially narrow, almost thread-like ray petals in several rows and by its earlier flowering from June. In floristry it plays a similar role to small-flowered asters.
- How long does fleabane last in the vase?
- Around five to nine days. Vase life depends heavily on how clean the water stays and how freshly the stems were cut — stems with plenty of still-closed daisies last longest.
- Is fleabane toxic to pets?
- Erigeron is considered non-toxic to cats and dogs, and poses no particular danger to children either. The old name fleabane comes from the dried plants once being used to repel fleas — not from any poisonous effect.
- Where does the German name Berufkraut come from?
- It goes back to the old folk belief that the plant could ward off bewitchment and the evil eye, called „Berufung“ in German. People laid it in cradles or hung it over doorways. Botanically the genus is Erigeron, Greek for „early ageing“, because the blooms quickly turn into grey seed heads.