Taxonomy

Division:

Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants

Family:

Asteraceae

Genus:

Erigeron

Species:

Erigeron philadelphicus

USDA Symbol:

ERPH

Growth Characteristics

Life Cycle:

Biennial | Perennial

Growth Habit:

Forb/herb

Height:

90 cm

Light Requirements:

Part Shade

Drought Tolerance:

Low

Bloom Months:

apr,may,jun,jul,aug

Bloom Colors:

white, pink, lavender

Wildlife Benefits

Bees:

★☆☆☆☆ Documented bee visitation (GBIF)

Butterflies & Moths:

★☆☆☆☆ Documented Lepidoptera association (GBIF)

Caterpillars:

★☆☆☆☆ Recorded caterpillar host plant (HOSTS Database)

Keystone Species Ranking

Caterpillar Keystone:

★★★☆☆ Butterfly & moth species supported by this genus (NWF)

Pollen Specialist Bee Keystone:

★★★★☆ Native pollen specialist bee species supported by this genus (NWF)

Host Plant for Caterpillars

Reported Fauna Sightings

Garden & Ecology Notes

Wildlife Value:

bees, butterflies, beneficial insects

Deer Resistant:

Yes

Fire Ecology:

Fire adapted — tolerates or benefits from fire

Fire Notes:

Resprouts from basal rosettes after fire; often increases in disturbed or burned areas.

Soil Requirements

Soil Type:

moist, fertile, well-drained loamy soil

pH:

5.5 - 7.0 (slightly acidic to neutral)

Drainage:

tolerates poor drainage

Moisture:

consistently moist

Notes:

commonly found in meadows and open woods

Propagation & Germination

Stratification:

Cold/moist stratification required — 30–60 days

Germination Time:

14–28 days

Notes:

Seeds require light for germination; surface sow and do not cover. Cold stratification improves germination rates.

The above propagation data sourced from Claude AI