North America Non-native Plant

Erigeron Myosotis

Botanical name: Erigeron myosotis

USDA symbol: ERMY2

Native status: Not native but doesn't reproduce and persist in the wild

The Mystery of Erigeron myosotis: When Plant Names Lead Nowhere Have you ever come across a plant name that seems to exist in databases but leads to absolutely nowhere when you try to research it? Welcome to the puzzling case of Erigeron myosotis – a botanical name that appears to ...

The Mystery of Erigeron myosotis: When Plant Names Lead Nowhere

Have you ever come across a plant name that seems to exist in databases but leads to absolutely nowhere when you try to research it? Welcome to the puzzling case of Erigeron myosotis – a botanical name that appears to be more mystery than reality.

What We Know (Spoiler: It’s Not Much)

Here’s what we can tell you about Erigeron myosotis: it’s classified as a dicot, and… well, that’s about where our reliable information ends. Despite extensive searching through major botanical databases, plant encyclopedias, and scientific literature, this particular plant name doesn’t appear to correspond to any recognized species.

The Erigeron Family: A Quick Detour

While we can’t give you the scoop on Erigeron myosotis specifically, we can tell you about the Erigeron genus, commonly known as fleabanes. These are typically:

  • Daisy-like wildflowers with numerous thin petals
  • Native to various regions across North America
  • Excellent pollinator plants
  • Generally easy to grow in sunny locations
  • Drought-tolerant once established

What This Means for Your Garden

Since we can’t provide reliable growing information for Erigeron myosotis, we’d strongly recommend exploring well-documented Erigeron species instead. Some fantastic native options include:

  • Erigeron speciosus (Showy Fleabane)
  • Erigeron philadelphicus (Philadelphia Fleabane)
  • Erigeron annuus (Annual Fleabane)
  • Erigeron glaucus (Seaside Fleabane)

A Word of Caution

When you encounter plant names that can’t be verified through reliable sources, it’s best to pause and double-check. Misidentified plants can lead to disappointing garden results, or worse, you might accidentally introduce something problematic to your landscape.

Moving Forward

If you’ve encountered the name Erigeron myosotis somewhere and are determined to track down this specific plant, we’d recommend:

  • Contacting the source where you found the name
  • Checking if there might be a typo or alternative spelling
  • Consulting with local botanical experts or extension offices
  • Considering that it might be an outdated synonym for a currently recognized species

In the meantime, why not explore the many wonderful, well-documented native plants that can bring beauty, ecological benefits, and reliable growing information to your garden? Your local native plant society can be an excellent resource for finding the perfect plants for your specific region and growing conditions.

Erigeron Myosotis

Classification

Group

Dicot

Kingdom

Plantae - Plants

Subkingdom

Tracheobionta - Vascular plants

Superdivision

Spermatophyta - Seed plants

Division

Magnoliophyta - Flowering plants

Subdivision
Class

Magnoliopsida - Dicotyledons

Subclass

Asteridae

Order

Asterales

Family

Asteraceae Bercht. & J. Presl - Aster family

Genus

Erigeron L. - fleabane

Species

Erigeron myosotis Pers.

Plant data source: USDA, NRCS 2025. The PLANTS Database. https://plants.usda.gov,. 2/25/2025. National Plant Data Team, Greensboro, NC USA