[Daisies and Fleabanes: The Genus Erigeron East of the Cascade Mountains of Oregon and Washington]
Northern daisy is a biennial or perennial wildflower with one to several stems from 5-80 cm high. The herbage ranges from glabrous to covered with short spreading hairs. The leaves are loosely villous, with the basal leaves oblanceolate to spatulate in shape with entire margins. The basal leaves range from 4-12 cm long. The stem leaves are more lanceolate in shape and reduced in size upwards on the stems.
The few to numerous flower heads form a raceme or corymb. The involucres are 5-7 mm high and are sparsely covered with small hairs or glands. Individual bracts are linear with acuminate to attenuate tips. The numerous white or purplish rays are narrow and inconspicuous, ranging from 2-4 mm long and up to 0.4 mm wide.
variety debilis: Plants of higher altitudes. Plants are higher in stature, generally exceeding 30 cm high. The flower heads are more numerous.
variety kamtschaticus: Plants of higher altitudes. Plants are low in stature, rarely reaching 30 cm high. The flower heads are solitary or several per plant.
variety politus: Plants of the lowland woods. Plants are of higher stature, generally 30-60 cm high. The flower heads are numerous.
Northern daisy may be found on rocky slopes and ridge tops in subalpine to alpine habitats.
Northern daisy is a circumpolar species, extending as far south in North America as Maine, Colorado, and California.
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