2016 Junior Envirothon (ES)

Old Field Plants Study Materials REFERENCE MATERIALS

• Common Trees of PA (DCNR): Glossary, Leaf Parts and Types, Tree Parts and specific tree/shrub summaries

o http://www.dcnr.state.pa.us/forestry/plants/commontrees/index.htm • A Golden Guide: Trees • National Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Trees: Eastern Region • Tree Fact Sheets at Virginia Tech’s Dendrology Site:

o http://www.dendro.cnre.vt.edu/dendrology/factsheets.cfm QUESTIONS:

• Test questions will address the listed tree and shrub species o Identification of specimens may include leaves, flowers, fruit/seeds and/or twigs.

� Pictures of each of these parts for each specimen are not included with this list, but will be disseminated at a later date and can be can be found in the reference materials

� Additional study materials will be disseminated at a later date • Tie Breaker questions may be drawn from outside the included tree species list, glossary

and other study materials. Topics may include identification of additional specimens, additional vocabulary, PA’s forest history or other topics.

PLANT SPECIES LIST CONIFERS HARDWOODS SMALLER

TREES/SHRUBS Red Cedar White Oak Common Milkweed Black Cherry Multiflora Rose Box Elder Japanese Honeysuckle Black Locust Common Mullein Ailanthus Black Raspberry Daisy Fleabane

eastern redcedar Juniperus virginiana

Eastern redcedar is a

common conifer growing on

a wide variety of sites across

a broad range of eastern and

central states. It is valued

for its wood quality and its

ability to provide wildlife with

food and cover. Eastern

redcedar is also useful as a

soil stabilizer and a wind-

break.

Light

Water

Growth

Size

Timber Value Eastern redcedar is used for cedar-scented closets and chests,

fenceposts, lumber, poles, boats, paneling, pencils, and cedarwood oil, a

fragrant extract.

Wood

Grain

Wildlife Value The dense habit of eastern redcedar provides birds and deer with good cover. Fruits are eaten by many

different species of birds and mammals.

Attracts: waxwings, bobwhite, quail, ruffed grouse, pheasant, turkey, rabbit, fox, raccoon, skunk,

opossum, coyote

Regeneration methods

This species is not commonly regenerated. Methods that provide an abundance of light, such as clearcuts

and seed-trees will work, especially on lower quality sites. Growth can be accelerated by competition control

and thinning.

Important Problems Early Detection tips cedar-apple gall (alternate

host) orange, jelly-like fingered balls in spring

Fun facts The berries of Juniperus species are used to provide gin with its characteristic flavor. Cedar chests and

lined closets prevent moth damage to wool clothing because the volatile cedar oil is a natural insecticide.

Juniperus Latin name from "junio" (young) and "parere" (to produce) - evergreen. virginiana of Virginia.

eastern redcedar

Juniperus virginiana

Leaf: Evergreen, very small, with two types of leaves (often on the same tree), scale-like leaves 1/16 inch long, dark green, with 4

sides held tightly to twig and longer (1/4 inch), dark blue-green needle-like leaves that are more common on young trees and fast

growing shoots.

Flower: Dioecious; but occasionally monoecious; males are small, yellow-brown, occurring in large groups; females are light blue-

green.

Fruit: Berry-like cones, light green in spring, turning dark blue and glaucous at maturity, about 1/4 inch in diameter, appearing in

spring and maturing in the fall.

Twig: Green for several years, covered in scales, later turning brown.

Bark: Red-brown in color, exfoliating in long, fibrous strips, often ashy gray where exposed.

Form: A small tree with a dense ovoid or columnar crown reaching up to 60 feet tall.

Looks like: Atlantic white-cedar - common juniper - Chinese juniper - redberry juniper

white oak Quercus alba

White oak is a deciduous species of

wide distribution across the eastern

U.S. It is renowned for its quality

wood, acorn production for wildlife,

and picturesque stature in old age.

Light Fall Color. Water

Growth

Size

Timber Value

White oak is used for lumber for beams, railroad ties, bridge planking,

mine timbers, flooring, furniture, veneer, barrel staves, etc.

Wood

Grain

Wildlife Value Over 180 wildlife species have been reported to use white oak acorns for food. Twigs and foliage are

browsed by deer.

Attracts: squirrels, mice, chipmunks, raccoons, bluejays, crows, woodpeckers, turkeys, quail, ducks,

deer

Regeneration methods

White oak's intermediate shade tolerance allows for regeneration by shelterwood or group selection

methods. Clearcutting is feasible if white oak saplings are numerous in the understory. White oak stump

sprouts, and this may compliment regeneration. Reduction of competition will help counter white oak's slow

growth.

Fun facts White oak can grow very large and live 3 to 5 centuries. It is a useful tree, producing edible acorns, (soak

them first to wash out tannins), preferred by turkey and deer. The wood is used for "tight cooperage" and

was used for whiskey barrels.

Quercus Latin name. alba white.

white oak

Quercus alba

Leaf: Alternate, simple, oblong to ovate in shape, 4 to 7 inches long; 7 to 10 rounded, finger-like lobes, sinus depth varies from

deep to shallow, apex is rounded and the base is wedge-shaped, green to blue-green above and whitish below.

Flower: Monoecious; male flowers are yellow-green, borne in naked, slender catkins, 2 to 4 inches long; female flowers are reddish

green and appear as very small single spikes; appearing with the leaves in mid-spring.

Fruit: Ovoid to oblong acorn, cap is warty and bowl-shaped, covers 1/4 of the fruit; cap always detaches at maturity; matures in

one growing season in the early fall.

Twig: Red-brown to somewhat gray, even a bit purple at times, hairless and often shiny; multiple terminal buds are red-brown,

small, rounded (globose) and hairless.

Bark: Whitish or ashy gray, varying from scaly on smaller stems to irregularly platy or blocky on large stems. On older trees smooth

patches are not uncommon.

Form: A very large tree; when open grown, white oaks have rugged, irregular crowns that are wide spreading, with a stocky bole. In

the forest crowns are upright and oval with trees reaching up to 100 feet tall and several feet in diameter.

Looks like: overcup oak - bur oak - post oak - sand post oak

black cherry Prunus serotina

Black cherry is one of the most

prized hardwoods of eastern and

central U.S. forests. It grows best

and is most commercially valuable

along the Allegheny plateau of

Pennsylvania, New York, and West

Virginia, and in scattered pockets in

the southern Appalachian mountains

and uplands of the Gulf coastal

plain.

Light Fall Color. Water

Growth

Size

Timber Value

Black cherry is used for veneer, furniture, cabinets, paneling,

interior trim, handles, crafts, toys, scientific instruments, etc.

Wood

Grain

Wildlife Value Many birds and mammals eat black cherry fruits. Deer, rabbits, and hares browse foliage and stems.

Attracts: turkeys, many other birds, squirrels, mice, moles, deer, rabbits, hares

Regeneration methods

Clearcutting works if a considerable amount of black cherry undergrowth already exists. Shelterwoods

are useful when young black cherries are not prevalent and need to be encouraged.

Important Problems Early Detection tips black knot rough black swelling on twigs, branches, trunk

Fun facts Black cherry leaves, twigs, and bark contain a cyanide precurser that is released whenever plant tissue is

damaged (e.g., wilted). Because of this black cherry trees are potentially lethal to livestock. Black cherry

trees grow the largest of the North American cherries. The fruits can be made into jams and jellies. The wood

is orange-brown and prized for furniture making.

Prunus Latin name for plum trees from Greek "prunos" (plum or cherry). serotina Latin "serus" (late) - late

maturing fruit.

black cherry

Prunus serotina

Leaf: Alternate, simple, 2 to 5 inches long, oblong to lance-shaped, finely serrated, very small inconspicuous glands on petiole, dark

green and lustrous above, paler below; usually with a dense yellowish-brown, sometimes white pubescence along mid-rib.

Flower: Small white flowers in hanging, narrow clusters 4 to 6 inches long, appearing in late spring.

Fruit: Dark purple round drupe, almost black when ripe, 1/3 inch in diameter with a bitter-sweet taste; matures in late summer.

Twig: Slender, reddish brown, sometimes covered in gray epidermis, pronounced bitter almond odor and taste; buds are very small

(1/5 inch),covered in several glossy, reddish brown to greenish scales. Leaf scars are small and semicircular with 3 bundle scars.

Bark: Smooth with numerous short, narrow, horizontal lenticels when young; becomes very dark (nearly black), breaking up into

small, rough, irregular, upturned plates (burnt corn flakes), when older.

Form: Medium sized tree which (on good sites) develops a long, straight, clear bole and can reach heights approaching 100 feet.

Looks like: sweet cherry - American plum - choke cherry - fire cherry

boxelder Acer negundo

Boxelder is a common tree of

generally small size and great

tolerance. It is common in waste

areas and is considered by some

to be weed-like in nature. It can

be used as a street tree in harsh

urban environments and a soil

stabilizer in disturbed areas.

Light Fall Color. Water

Growth

Size

Timber Value Boxelder is used for boxes, rough construction lumber, cheap

furniture and woodenwares.

Wildlife Value Birds and squirrels eat boxelder seeds. Deer browse plant parts during the fall.

Attracts: birds, squirrels, deer

Regeneration methods

Intentional regeneration of boxelder is uncommon. It can sometimes be difficult to keep boxelder from

invading sites following disturbance.

Fun facts Boxelder has little, if any commercial use. The wood is susceptible to storm damage. Native Americans

from the Plains used to make a syrup out of the sap - not so sweet as that made from sugar maple sap.

Because of its compound leaves, boxelder is sometimes referred to as "ashleaf" maple.

Acer Latin name - sharp (leaves or used as lances) or Celtic "ac" (hard). negundo Latinized form of

Malayan name - leaves resemble genus Vitex.

boxelder

Acer negundo

Leaf: Opposite, pinnately compound, 3 to 5 leaflets (sometimes 7), 2 to 4 inches long, margin coarsely serrate or somewhat lobed,

shape variable but leaflets often resemble a classic maple leaf, light green above and paler below.

Flower: Dioecious; yellow-green, in drooping racemes; appearing in spring.

Fruit: Paired V-shaped samaras, 1 to 1 1/2 inches long, in drooping clusters, light tan when ripe in fall, persist throughout winter.

Twig: Green to purplish green, moderately stout, leaf scars narrow, meeting in raised points, often covered with a glaucous bloom;

buds white and hairy, lateral buds appressed.

Bark: Thin, gray to light brown, with shallow interlacing ridges; young bark is generally warty.

Form: Medium sized tree to 60 feet, typically with poor form and multiple trunks; sprouts often occur on bole.

Looks like: Rocky Mountain maple - green ash - poison-ivy

black locust Robinia pseudoacacia

Black locust is a tenacious eastern species,

commonly found as a pioneer on disturbed

sites. Its ability to "fix" atmospheric

nitrogen and grow rapidly have led to its

use for land reclamation. Despite being

short-lived and subject to insect attacks

and heart-rot, black locust remains a

valuable species in many utilitarian ways.

Light Fall Color. Water

Growth

Size

Timber Value Black locust is used for fenceposts, mine timbers, poles, railroad ties, ship

timbers, wooden pins, pegs, nails, stakes, boxes, crates, pulpwood, fuelwood,

and novelties.

Wood

Grain

Wildlife Value Black locust provides cover for a variety of species. Deer browse seedlings and young trees. Heartrot

leads to use by cavity excavating birds.

Attracts: northern bobwhite, deer, squirrels, woodpeckers, flickers, screech owls

Regeneration methods

Black locust is not commonly regenerated deliberately and is often considered a weed in timber

production. Very intolerant of shade, black locust requires clearcut or seed-tree methods. It stump sprouts

and root suckers abundantly.

Important Problems Early Detection tips locust borer swelling and sap stained wood

loucst leafminer browning foliage in early summer

Fun facts Rhizobial root nodules allow trees to "fix" atmospheric nitrogen into plant usable form. Black locust flowers

are used in honey production. Locust borers allow heartrot fungi to enter trunks and the resultant fungal

bodies are often used as 'artist conks'. Black locust is excellent firewood.

Robinia after Jean Robin, French Herbalist. pseudoacacia false acacia, Greek "akakia" (the Egyptian thorn-

tree) and "akis" (thorn).

black locust

Robinia pseudoacacia

Leaf: Alternate, pinnately compound, with 7 to 19 leaflets, 8 to 14 inches long. Leaflets are oval, one inch long, with entire margins.

Leaves resemble sprigs of grapes; green above and paler below.

Flower: Monoecious; perfect, showy and fragrant, white, 1 inch long and pea-like, borne in long (5 inches) hanging clusters, appear

in mid to late spring.

Fruit: Flattened legume, light brown, 2 to 4 inches long; containing 4 to 8 kidney-shaped, smooth, red-brown seeds, ripen in the

fall.

Twig: Zigzag, somewhat stout and angular, red-brown in color, numerous lighter lenticels. Paired spines at each leaf scar (often

absent on older or slow growing twigs); buds are submerged beneath the leaf scar.

Bark: Gray or light brown, thick and fibrous, heavily ridged and furrowed, resembles a woven rope.

Form: A medium sized tree to 70 feet, with a relatively straight trunk and a crown of crooked branches. Often forms thickets by

root suckering.

Looks like: bristly locust - New Mexican locust - honeylocust - pea tree

tree-of-heaven

Ailanthus altissima

Leaf: Alternate, pinnately compound, 1 to 3 feet long, with 11 to 41 leaflets, leaflets are 2 to 6 inches long, pointed at the tip with

large, glandular teeth near the base, green above and below.

Flower: Dioecious; small yellow-green, in long (6 to 12 inches) clusters, males have a disagreeable odor, appearing in late spring to

early summer.

Fruit: An oblong, twisted samara, 1 to 1 1/2 inches long with the seed in the center, hanging in long clusters, ripens in late summer

and disperse through the winter.

Twig: Stout, yellow to red-brown, with fine velvety hairs when young, easily broken with a large reddish brown pith; buds are

relatively small and half-spherical sitting above large, heart-shaped leaf scars; terminal bud is absent. Strong odor (some are

reminded of peanut butter) when broken.

Bark: Thin, light brown to gray, resembles the skin of a cantaloupe when young, later turning darker gray and rough.

Form: A short to medium sized tree to 70 feet with heavy, open branches. Lower branches on larger trees tend to droop. Often

grows in clumps.

Looks like: smooth sumac - black walnut - Kentucky coffeetree - poison sumac

Japanese honeysuckle Lonicera japonica

Leaf: Opposite, simple, ovate to oval, 1 to 2 inches long, entire margin, sometimes lobed, semi-evergreen, light green and

somewhat pubescent.

Flower: Fragrant, 1/2 to 1 inch long, white or yellowish-white long petals, appearing in late spring.

Fruit: Small (1/4 inch diameter), black berry, often in pairs, ripen in fall and persist into early winter.

Twig: Slender, initially pubescent, light brown in color developing scaly, thin bark, hollow pith; buds small.

Bark: Long, shreddy peeling strips, light red-brown to straw-colored.

Form: A scrambling, twisting vine with no tendrils or aerial roots, forms dense thickets in bushes and trees and sprawls

along the ground.

Looks like: Oriental bittersweet - false jessamine - swamp jessamine

multiflora rose

Rosa multiflora

Leaf: Alternate, pinnately compound leaf, 3 to 5 inches long, 5 to 11 serrated leaflets, comb-like stipules along base of petiole, dark

green above and paler below.

Flower: White, 5 wedge-shaped petals, 2 inches across, occurring in clusters, fragrant, appearing in early summer.

Fruit: Red to reddish brown, 1/4 inch, oblong, fleshy "hip", ripens in late summer and persist through the winter.

Twig: Green or greenish-red, usually with paired, curved prickles, long and arching stems; buds red, pointed.

Bark: Brown, finely shreddy at base.

Form: Sprawling arching stems which form a large round crown and dense thickets; individual stems often reaching high into the air

when supported.

Looks like: Alleghany blackberry - black raspberry - rugosa rose - small-leaved rose

black raspberry

Rubus occidentalis

Leaf: Alternate, palmately compound, 3 to 5 inches long and wide, 3 to 5 leaflets with serrated margins, small prickles on petiole,

light green above, and much paler (nearly white) below.

Flower: Monoecious; not showy, 5 small greenish white petals, appearing in late spring.

Fruit: Juicy, black, multiple of drupes, 1/2 inch across, ripen in mid-summer. When picked they separate from the fleshy core

forming a hollow shell.

Twig: Arching "canes" which generally live 2 years. Purplish-red with an abundance of white glaucous bloom and hooked prickles.

Canes readily root at the tips when they contact the ground.

Bark: Similar to canes but darker and not glaucous.

Form: Arching canes may reach 3 to 5 feet high, often forming dense tangled thickets.

Looks like: Alleghany blackberry - prickly Florida blackberry - dewberry - raspberry

Common Milkweed Asclepias syriaca

Description: This native perennial plant is 2-6' tall and unbranched. The

leaves are dull green, up to 8" long and 3½" wide, oblong or oval in shape,

and mostly oppositely arranged on the central stem. There is a prominent

central vein along the length of each leaf, and finer side veins that radiate

outward toward the smooth margins. When either the central stem or

leaves are torn, a milky sap oozes out that has variable toxicity in the form

of cardiac glycosides. Umbels of flowers, each about 3-4" across, emerge

from the axils of the upper leaves. These flowers are quite fragrant, with a

scent resembling violets or pansies, and they range in color from faded light

pink to reddish purple. Each flower is about ¼" across, with 5 reflexed

petals that occasionally entrap the legs of insects, and 5 raised hoods with a

horn arising in the middle. The blooming period lasts about a month from

early to mid-summer. The seedpods are 3-4" long, rather fat and covered

with soft prickles, and they split along one side when mature to release

numerous seeds that are individually equipped with large white tufts of

hair. Dispersion of seed is by wind. The root system has long creeping

rhizomes, promoting the vegetative spread of this plant.

Cultivation: The preference is full sun, rich loamy soil, and mesic

conditions, but this robust plant can tolerate a variety of situations,

including partial sun and a high clay or sand content in the soil. Under ideal

conditions, Common Milkweed can become 6' tall and spread aggressively,

but more typically it is about 3-4' tall. This plant is very easy to grow once it

becomes established.

Range & Habitat: Common Milkweed occurs in every county of

Pennsylvania and is quite common. Habitats include thickets, woodland borders, fields and pastures, abandoned fields, vacant lots,

fence rows, and areas along railroads and roadsides. This plant is a colonizer of disturbed areas in both natural and developed

habitats.

Faunal Associations: The flowers are very popular with many kinds of insects, especially long-tongued bees, wasps, flies, skippers,

and butterflies, which seek nectar. Other insect visitors include short-tongued bees, various Milkweed plant bugs, and moths,

including Sphinx moths. Among these, the larger butterflies, predatory wasps, and long-tongued bees are more likely to remove the

pollinia from the flowers. Some of the smaller insects can have their legs entrapped by the flowers and die. Common Milkweed

doesn't produce fertile seeds without cross-pollination. The caterpillars of Danaus plexippes (Monarch Butterfly) feed on the foliage,

as well as the caterpillars of a few moths, including Enchaetes egle

(Milkweed Tiger Moth), Cycnia inopinatus (Unexpected Cycnia), and

Cycnia tenera (Delicate Cycnia). Less common insects feeding on this

plant include Neacoryphus bicrucis (Seed Bug sp.) and Gymnetron tetrum

(Weevil sp). Many of these insects are brightly colored – a warning to

potential predators of the toxicity that they acquired from feeding on

milkweed. Mammalian herbivores don't eat this plant because of the

bitterness of the leaves and their toxic properties.

Comments: Depending on the local ecotype, Common Milkweed is

highly variable in appearance. The color of the flowers may be attractive,

or faded and dingy-looking. This plant is often regarded as a weed to be

destroyed, but its flowers and foliage provide food to many kinds of

insects. Common Milkweed can be distinguished from other milkweeds

by its prickly follicles (seedpods) – other Asclepias spp. have follicles that

are smooth, or nearly so.

Common or Great Mullein Verbascum thapsus

Description: During the 1st year, this adventive or introduced biennial

plant consists of a rosette of basal leaves about 1-2' across. During the 2nd

year, it becomes 3-7' tall and is usually unbranched. Occasionally, one or

two side stems may develop in the upper half of the plant. These stems are

covered with downy white hairs. The alternate leaves are up to 12" long and

4" across, becoming progressively smaller and more narrow as they ascend

the central stem. They are obovate or oblong-ovate, smooth or slightly

crenate along the margins (which are sometimes wavy), and covered with

fine downy hairs. The lower leaves taper gradually to a narrow winged base,

while the upper leaves are partially decurrent against the stem. The dense

branched hairs provide the foliage with a color that is whitish or greyish

green. The central stem terminates in a dense spike of flowers about ½–2'

long. Each flower is about ¾" across and consists of 5 pale yellow petals, 5

hairy green sepals, 5 stamens, and a pistil. The 3 upper stamens are covered

with white or yellow hairs, while the 2 lower stamens are hairless. The

blooming period usually occurs during the summer and lasts about 1½

months. Only a few flowers are in bloom at the same time. Each flower is

replaced by a seed capsule with 2 cells, each cell containing numerous little

seeds. The rectangular-oblong seeds have fine wavy ridges and tiny pits

across the surface. While the foliage withers away, the central stalk and its

seed capsules turn brown and persist through the winter. The seeds are

small enough to be carried aloft by the gusts of wind that shake the central

stalk. The root system consists of a stout taproot that runs deep into the

ground. This plant spreads by reseeding itself.

Cultivation: Typical growing conditions are full sun and mesic to dry soil

that often contains clay or stony material. The foliage is little bothered by pests and disease, although some of the lower leaves may

wither away during a drought. The seeds can lie dormant in the soil for several decades and remain capable of germination.

Range & Habitat: Great Mullein is a common plant that occurs in all counties of Pennsylvania. It is native to Eurasia, and may have

been introduced into the United States as an herbal or ornamental plant. Habitats include limestone glades, rocky slopes and clay

banks, pastures and fallow fields, areas along railroads and roadsides, vacant lots, and dry waste areas. Disturbed areas are

preferred.

Faunal Associations: Bumblebees are the most important pollinators of the

flowers, where they seek nectar and pollen. Other insect visitors, which seek

pollen, include Halictid bees and Syrphid flies. An unusual group of bees,

consisting primarily of Anthidium spp. (Carder Bees) in North America, use the

fuzzy hairs from the foliage as a water-proof lining in their nests. The seeds of

Great Mullein are too small to be of much interest to birds, while the hairy

foliage is avoided by mammalian herbivores. Both the foliage and the seeds

may contain toxic compounds.

Comments: Great Mullein is an imposing plant with interesting foliage and

form. The flowers seem small and inconspicuous in comparison with the rest of

the plant. This is an easy plant to identify, although there are other Verbascum

spp. (Mulleins) in the Old World that have a similar appearance. Of these, only Verbascum phlomoides (Orange Mullein) is known to

occur in Illinois, although it is rare within the state. This latter species has larger flowers (at least 1" across) that range in color from

pale yellow to orange-yellow. While Great Mullein has dense spikes of flowers, the flowering spikes of Orange Mullein are more

interrupted and less dense. The leaves of Orange Mullein are less hairy and more green on the upper surface, and its upper leaves

are only slightly decurrent against the stem. There are other introduced Mulleins, but they are smaller and less hairy plants that

produce panicles or racemes of flowers, rather than spikes. At one time, the dried stalks of Great Mullein were dipped in wax or

tallow and used as torches.

Daisy Fleabane Erigeron strigosus

Aster family (Asteraceae)

Description: This native annual or biennial plant is erect and

up to 3' tall. It is largely unbranched, except for a few side

stems near the inflorescence at the apex. The ridged central

stem has spreading white hairs near the base, but these hairs

become short and appressed along its middle and upper

portions. The alternate leaves are up to 4" long and 2/3"

across, becoming smaller and more sparsely distributed as

they ascend the stems. They are usually oblanceolate

(shaped like a narrow spoon), narrowly ovate, or linear. Some

of the larger leaves may have a few coarse teeth toward their

outer tips. The base of each leaf narrows gradually to a

slender petiole-like base.

The upper stems terminate in small clusters of daisy-like compound flowers and their buds. The buds have appressed fine hairs that

are difficult to see. The compound flowers are about ½" across, consisting of about 40-100 ray florets that surround numerous disk

florets. The tiny disk florets are yellow, while the ray florets are usually white (sometimes light violet or pink). The blooming period

occurs primarily from late spring to mid-summer, and lasts about 1-2 months. However, some plants may bloom later in the year

until the early fall. The flowers may have a mild fragrance. Both the ray and disk florets can set fertile seed without cross-pollination.

The small achenes enclosing the seeds have small bristles or white hairs that promote distribution of the seeds by wind. The root

system consists of a taproot. This plant spreads by re-seeding itself, and often forms loose colonies.

Cultivation: The preference is full sun, dry conditions, and poor soil containing clay or stony material. In moist situations with richer

soil, Daisy Fleabane may have trouble competing with taller plants with broader leaves. This plant tends to fade away after flowering

and setting seed.

Range & Habitat: Daisy Fleabane is common and has been reported from all counties of Pennsylavnia. Habitats include limestone

glades, eroding clay banks, pastures and abandoned fields, and areas along roadsides and railroads. While this plant species favors

disturbed areas, it is more likely to occur in higher quality habitats than the closely related Erigeron annuus (Annual Fleabane).

Faunal Associations: Primarily small bees and flies visit the flowers for nectar or pollen. Among the bees, are such visitors as Little

Carpenter bees, Nomadine bees, Carder bees, Green Metallic bees, and Plasterer bees. An exceptional variety of flies also visit the

flowers, while less common visitors include small butterflies, wasps, and beetles. The caterpillars of Schinia lynx (Lynx Flower Moth)

eat the buds and flowerheads. Mammalian herbivores occasionally feed on the foliage and flowers, including livestock, deer, rabbits,

and groundhogs.

Comments: Daisy Fleabane resembles Erigeron annuus (Annual Fleabane), but robust specimens of these two species are fairly

easy to distinguish. Daisy Fleabane is a more slender plant with fewer and skinnier leaves, and the hairs along the middle and upper

portions of the central stem are short and appressed, rather than spreading outward. However, some malnourished specimens of

Annual Fleabane can resemble Daisy Fleabane, thus becoming a source of possible confusion. While the fleabanes are often

dismissed as 'weeds' because of their ubiquitousness during the summer, they are actually rather cheerful plants that are beneficial

to many small insects that play an important role in the functioning of the ecological system.

Information from:

http://dendro.cnre.vt.edu/dendrology/main.htm

2004 Virginia Tech Forestry Department, all rights reserved. Text, images, and programming by: Dr. Jeff

Kirwan, Dr. John R. Seiler, John A. Peterson, Edward C. Jensen, Guy Phillips, or Andrew S. Meeks.

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http://www.illinoiswildflowers.info

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