Marsh Fleabane Pluchea odorata (Linnaeus) Cassini var. odorataCoastal Plain only    Synonyms: Pluchea odorata var. succulenta, Pluchea purpurascens, Pluchea purpurescens var. succulenta, Scented Conyza, Sweetscent.
Kingdom Plantae   >   Division Tracheophyta   >   Class Magnoliopsida   >   Order Asterales   >   Family Asteraceae   >   Genus Pluchea   

Status:

Marsh Fleabane is a common plant of salt and brackish marshes of the Chesapeake Bay and Maryland's Coastal Bays. Marsh Fleabane is native from coastal New Hampshire south to Florida and across the southern United States to California. Interior populations of Marsh Fleabane are typically found in saline habitats. Marsh Fleabane has been introduced to the Great Lakes region.

Blooming dates in the Maryland Biodiversity Project database range from 8/1 (Brighton, Dorchester) - 10/25 (Brighton, Queen Anne's).

Description:

There are three Pluchea fleabane species in Maryland. It is fairly easy to differentiate between the three species. Stinking Fleabane is easy to identify because it is Maryland's only Pluchea species with white flowers. Marsh Fleabane and Camphor Fleabane are similar in appearance, but are never found growing in the same environments. Camphor Fleabane is restricted to freshwater habitats and is listed as an S1 endangered species in Maryland. Marsh Fleabane is only found in brackish and salt marshes.

Where to find:

Look for Marsh Fleabane in salt marsh habitats. Elliott Island marshes, Deal Island WMA, Point Lookout SP, Flag Ponds, and Assateague Island all have healthy Marsh Fleabane populations.

There are 211 records in the project database.

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Marsh Fleabane along a beach at the Cove Point LNG Property, Calvert Co., Maryland (8/29/2012). Photo by Richard Orr. (MBP list)

Marsh Fleabane along a beach at the Cove Point LNG Property, Calvert Co., Maryland (8/29/2012). Photo by Richard Orr. (MBP list)

Marsh Fleabane blooming in Charles Co., Maryland (8/22/2015). Photo by Jim Stasz. (MBP list)

Marsh Fleabane in Dorchester Co., Maryland (10/14/2016). Photo by Kirsten Johnson. (MBP list)

Marsh Fleabane in Dorchester Co., Maryland (9/23/2020). (c) tomfeild, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). Photo by Tom Feild. (MBP list)

Marsh Fleabane in St. Mary's Co., Maryland (10/15/2013). Photo by Jim Stasz. (MBP list)

Marsh Fleabane blooming in Kent Co., Maryland (9/12/2014). Photo by Nancy Martin. (MBP list)

Marsh Fleabane in Anne Arundel Co., Maryland (9/20/2016). Photo by Barbara K. Johnson. (MBP list)

Marsh Fleabane in Worcester Co., Maryland (8/31/2017). (c) Mario, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). Photo by Mario via iNaturalist. (MBP list)

Marsh Fleabane in Anne Arundel Co., Maryland (9/4/2017). Photo by Robert Ferraro. (MBP list)

Marsh Fleabane (winter aspect) in Anne Arundel Co., Maryland (12/30/2017). Photo by Bill Hubick. (MBP list)

Marsh Fleabane in Anne Arundel Co., Maryland (9/27/2020). (c) Wayne Longbottom, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). Photo by Wayne Longbottom. (MBP list)


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