ERIGERON. Distributed mostly over North America. Perennial daisies of easy culture, though their requirements and uses in the landscape vary somewhat. Sun or light shade, reasonably well drained soil, moderate to occasional watering as noted. Hardiness varies.

glaucus. Beach aster. This is a common plant along the coastal bluffs of northern and central California, varying considerably in its ornamental features. Though nearly all forms are showy in flower, many are loose, straggling plants, difficult to use in tended gardens. ‘Arthur Menzies’ was given to me for introduction by Wayne Roderick in the ‘70s and quickly became the standard selection. It forms a dense mound 4-8" tall of bright bluish green leaves. Two-inch pink daisies with large chartreuse centers cover the plant in late spring and are scattered more thinly through summer and fall. Lately it has been eclipsed by some newer selections, the most recent of which is ‘Sea Breeze’, introduced by Planthaven. This one makes equally tight clumps, though mounding a little higher when crowded, and is packed with bright lavender-pink blossoms during the warmer months. All selections should have their spent flowers clipped off to encourage new rounds of growth and bloom. They are adapted to coastal climates and should be shaded in hot summer areas (even given this treatment, they are less impressive and less durable than they are along the coast). Hardy to 10^oF. or below.

karvinskianus. A trailing plant with many slender, leafy dark green stems, making broad mats or spilling over walls in dense curtains. It is seldom out of bloom and produces impressive displays of 3/4" flower heads, the rays white above and pink beneath, in spring and fall. A useful plant for small-scale ground cover, walls and containers. Hardy to 10^oF or less.

x moerheimii. A hybrid similar to the last, but somewhat more compact. It also has larger blossoms shaded with soft pink. Probably 10^oF or less.

speciosus. A northwestern native, very popular elsewhere as a border perennial. It makes crowded mats with crowns of smooth, oblong basal leaves up to 6" long. Branched, leafy flowering shoots rise 1’ to over 2’ in spring and summer to display beautiful large, yellow-centered flower heads. The rays are colored white to lavender, violet and deep rose pink. There are many cultivars. ‘Grandiflorus’ is a larger-flowered version of the typical form, with lavender flowers. ‘Rosa Juwel’ is distinguished by its bright pink rays. More should be available soon.

‘W. R.’. A chance hybrid involving E. glaucus and another anonymous native, found by Wayne Roderick. It is similar to E. glaucus in foliage, but the leaves are longer and packed more densely in basal rosettes. Several-branched flower stems rise in summer, displaying large lavender flower heads with yellow centers. It appears to be more heat-tolerant than E. glaucus. Probably 10^oF or less.