Erigerons have yellow disk flowers and numerous, narrow ray flowers that are white, pink, or purple (but not yellow).

     Linnaeus named this genus in 1753.  The genus name is from the Greek "eri" ("early") + "geron" ("old man", as in "geriatrics"), perhaps referring to characteristics of some now unknown plant or perhaps to the early flowering of many species and to the bristly pappus of the developing seed or to the puffy, grizzled appearance of the mature seed head.

Montane, subalpine.  Meadows.  Summer.
El Diente Trail, July 22, 2004.

Showy Daisy, the most common Erigeron species in the San Juan Mountains and in much of the mountainous Four Corners area, is abundant from mid-mountain elevations to sub-alpine meadows and it puts on a grand display in mid and late summer. Its fuzzy lavender buds give way to multi-rayed lavender flowers in large bouquets.  Leaves are narrow and hairless and stems are maroon tinged.

"Specios" is Latin for "showy" or "beautiful".  About 1830 David Douglas (of Douglas fir fame) collected the first seeds of this plant in California; they were grown into plants in England.

Montane, subalpine.  Meadows.  Summer.
Scotch Creek Road, July 1, 2004.

More Erigeron speciosus photographs.

Semi-desert. Canyons, shrublands, woodlands, rocks.  Spring, summer.
Near Colorado River by Moab, May 5, 2005.

Numerous stems sometimes form clusters of Erigeron utahensis to three feet across and two feet tall.  Last year's dried stems are usually apparent.  The plant is strikingly apparent on bare rock where it often grows in small crevices. 

Asa Gray named this species Erigeron stenophyllum in 1873 from a specimen collected by Mrs. A. P. Thompson near Kanab, Utah.  Arthur Cronquist, lead author of the Intermountain Flora, renamed it Erigeron utahensis in 1947.

Semi-desert. Canyons, shrublands, woodlands, rocks.  Spring, summer.
Near Colorado River by Moab, May 5, 2005.

Flower color is intense in the bud stage and becomes more subdued as the flower fully opens.

Semi-desert. Canyons, shrublands, woodlands, rocks.  Spring, summer.
Near Colorado River by Moab, May 5, 2005.

Ray flowers can vary from one to nearly 3 millimeters wide and there can be from 10 to 40 rays.  Color also can vary widely from plant to plant: from blue to pink to white.