Bloomingest Native

Seaside Daisy (Erigeron glaucus) is the bloomingest native in my garden.  Its cheery lavender flowers decorate the garden most of the year. It will tolerate garden conditions (i.e. summer water) and some shade, but blooms much better a little dryer and in at least a half day of sun.  

Seaside Daisies are great for screening summer dormant plants.
Click on the photo to enlarge and find Island Sagebrush
(Artemisia nesiotica) popping out at the top.

It doesn't like inland heat, though you can try it in afternoon shade inland.  It is a native evergreen: will stay green and bloomy on a schedule of brief washing every other week in the summer.  Will stay green and not so bloomy on less.  It is great in a mixed border next to a sidewalk or path. Plant lots!

Going strong– in August!  And letting spindly
 Blackfoot Daisies (Melampodium leucanthum)
borrow some foliage.

Several cultivars are available (intermittently).  Las Pilitas advises against 'Arthur Menzies' and recommends 'Wayne Roderick.'  There is a pink Seaside Daisy for sale.  Just say no. Who needs a pink Seaside Daisy?  It's like a white CA poppy– messing with an icon.  

Homely seaside baby, with potential.
Tomaz gave me this plant from a cutting.

Most natives have their quirks, habits that make them difficult to use in a typical bulletproof suburban planting.  Before you run and plop a native in your garden, know its quirks and be prepared to work with them.   Seaside Daisy does not like to be uprooted.  It will take its time recovering from planting; it may not flower at all its first year.   It may never prosper in clay.  (Beach plant!)  Or too much water. (Duh.) Like any plant with biggish flowers, it will require some deadheading to look its best.  When it is happy, it will keep growing till it gets lanky. Prune all you like; it will grow back.

We have seen Seaside Daisy wild in Cambria... at the beach!  Looks just like ours, but working a little harder. Las Pilitas has some nice pictures of wild daisies.

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