fleabane

[ flee-beyn ]
/ ˈfliˌbeɪn /

noun

any of various composite plants, as Pulicaria dysenterica, of Europe, or Erigeron philadelphicus, of the U.S., reputed to destroy or drive away fleas.

Origin of fleabane

First recorded in 1540–50; flea + bane

Example sentences from the Web for fleabane

  • Our fleabane is a troublesome weed at times, but good husbandry has little to dread from it.

    A Year in the Fields |John Burroughs

British Dictionary definitions for fleabane

fleabane
/ (ˈfliːˌbeɪn) /

noun

any of several plants of the genus Erigeron, such as E. acer, having purplish tubular flower heads with orange centres: family Asteraceae (composites)
any of several plants of the related genus Pulicaria, esp the Eurasian P. dysenterica, which has yellow daisy-like flower heads
Canadian fleabane a related plant, Conyza (or Erigeron) canadensis, with small white tubular flower heads US name: horseweed
any of various other plants reputed to ward off fleas