<em>Erigeron</em>, fleabane: to plant, to grow

Description and botany

Erigeron, also called Fleabane or wall daisy is a small perennial belonging to family Asteraceae, like asters and oxeye daisies.

Genus Erigeron comprises about 200 species, sometimes annual, most often perennial, native to meadows and mountain areas of America and Mexico, and includes many hybrids and cultivars, notably derived from Erigeron speciosus such as ‘Grandiflorus’, or from very tall varieties like ‘Dunkelste Aller’ or ‘Rosa Triumph’.

Erigeron karvinskianus and Erigeron alpinus are also among the species most commonly found in gardens.

From a rootstock, Erigeron quickly forms a dense herbaceous tuft with a bushy, spreading habit, often candelabra-shaped, ranging from 0.10 m for the sturdiest alpine fleabanes to 0.75 m in flower with almost as much spread for tall cultivars. While most can spread widely thanks to their rootstocks, sometimes becoming invasive, alpine creeping species will hardly exceed 0.15 m in spread.

Erigeron alpinus – botanical illustration

At the end of spring, flexible, upright stems, more or less ramified in their upper part, bearing foliage that becomes deciduous around -5°C, emerge. They are punctuated by narrow, lanceolate to ovate leaves, 3 to 12 cm long, arranged alternately. Median stems are often longer than central stem. Generally downy, leaves range from bright green to dark green and grey‑green.

From this dense mass of vegetation, more or less high, arise the flowers, solitary or gathered in corymbs of 4 to 20 flowers at the tips of numerous supple, flexible branches.

From May–June, with a nice second flush in September–October, even until December in the mildest areas, Erigeron reveals its long and abundant flowering, very similar to that of asters.

A multitude of flowers in simple, semi-double (Erigeron speciosus ‘Rosa Jewel’) or double heads (Erigeron ‘Professor Korodi’), 1 to 7 cm in diameter, open all summer, resembling daisy flowers or small oxeye daisies. The small yellow centre is surrounded by a collar of very fine petals or ligules, closely set, arranged in one or two radiating rows of ray florets.

They offer a wide palette of fresh colours ranging from pure white to soft pink, deep purple to crimson, pale mauve to lavender blue.

They are also good melliferous flowers, attracting many foraging insects and butterflies from May until first frosts.

Once pollinated, these head inflorescences give way to fruits, achenes, whose egrets of bristles evoke airy little old‑man heads crowned with white hair, which is why its Latin name means “old”.

Like dandelion flowers, the wind will disperse these seeds, which will self‑seed wherever conditions suit them.

Very long‑lasting in a vase, flowers of the taller fleabanes are lovely in delicate country bouquets.

With good hardiness, slightly variable depending on species, around -10°C to -15°C in well‑drained soil, Erigeron or Fleabane is a very easy plant to grow, perfect for colonising poor spots in summer, forming vigorous vegetative tapetum in rockeries, groundcovers, borders, flowering low walls or stone troughs depending on variety size. Grow Erigeron in full sun, in a rather rich, well‑drained soil.

Erigeron ‘Azur Beauty’

Main species and varieties

Most popular

Our favourites

Erigeron Dunkelste Aller

Unique large variety bearing large purple flowers. Easy to use in borders, edging or beds.

• Flowering time July, August
• Height at maturity 60 cm

See the product sheet

Erigeron karvinskianus

Forms attractive low groundcover clumps. Erigeron particularly favours rock gardens, dry stone walls and paving, colonising poor, very dry spots in summer.

• Flowering time June to November
• Height at maturity 20 cm

See the product sheet

Erigeron speciosus Grandiflorus

One of the tallest Erigerons! Very floriferous, will flower abundantly all summer on tall stems! Well suited to sunny borders and to bouquets!

• Flowering time July to September
• Height at maturity 70 cm

See the product sheet

Erigeron speciosus Rosa Jewel

Pretty perennial in a very soft colour. Indispensable in beds, rock gardens and meadows !

• Flowering time July to September
• Height at maturity 60 cm

See the product sheet

 

Erigeron Rosa Triumph

Bright pink carried by double flowers. Forms an ideal vegetative carpet as groundcover to edge a bed, for example.

• Flowering time July to October
• Height at maturity 60 cm

See the product sheet

Erigeron Professor Korodi

This variety has a slight spring-daisy look. Ideal for groundcover or bed edges.

• Flowering time July to October
• Height at maturity 50 cm

See the product sheet

Planting

Where to plant Erigerons or fleabanes?

Hardy, down to around -15°C and lower, Erigerons can be grown across all regions. Note that montane species such as Erigeron alpinus are the most cold-resistant, displaying a hardiness up to -20°C.

These sun-loving perennials need a sunny position but can tolerate a slightly shaded situation during the hottest hours.

Most will thrive in well-drained, rather dry, even rocky or stony soil. This is generally true for montane species, such as Erigeron karvinskianus, which tolerate drier situations in calcareous rock gardens, not tolerating any standing moisture at collar. Conversely, other varieties prefer rich soils that stay cool in summer.

Undemanding, generally, they will make do with ordinary soil provided it is well drained; a relative dryness in summer is always preferable to overly wet soils.

Choose a spot sheltered from wind, which might otherwise bend cultivars with very tall stems.

Fleabanes bring cohesion to borders. Plant the larger varieties, such as Erigeron speciosus ‘Grandiflorus’ in borders, while the smaller ones are suitable for slightly dry spots neglected by other plants to dress a rock garden or edge a dry-stone wall, a path or a sunny flowerbed, to flower between paving slabs or in the crevices of walls.

Some Erigerons fit very well in pots, troughs or hanging baskets on sunny balconies and terraces.

When to plant Erigeron or fleabane?

We recommend planting Erigeron or fleabane in autumn, although it is also possible to plant buckets at the start of spring.

How to plant Erigerons or fleabanes?

In the ground

To create a good groundcover or a striking effect in a border, allow around 5 to 8 plants per m2. Planting distance varies: from 0.20 m for small creeping varieties to 0.50–0.60 m width for larger ones. Avoid planting in soil that is too heavy and compact.

• Dig a hole slightly deeper than the rootball.
• Place your fleabane so collar is not buried.
• Backfill with potting compost.
• Firm down gently.
• Stake if necessary.
• Mulch.
• Water generously.

In a pot

• Spread a good layer of drainage (gravel or clay pellets) at bottom of container
• Plant the bucket in a mix of ordinary soil and potting compost
• Water regularly

→ Learn more about growing Erigeron in a pot in our advice sheet

Care and maintenance

Erigeron or fleabane requires no particular care to remain floriferous and vigorous. However, you can cut off faded flowers as you go to prolong flowering for as long as possible. In prolonged drought, flowering may cease, resuming more vigorously with the arrival of autumn.

A mulch to keep soil cool and some sparing watering will be necessary in dry weather.

If you grow Erigeron in a pot, water more regularly before the growing medium dries out too much.

It is preferable to stake the tallest varieties.

After flowering, you can cut the plant back severely, shortening stems by half or cutting to soil level with a pruning shear. It will come back stronger in spring and retain a nice bushy, compact habit.

Each spring, and especially if the plant shows signs of decline, divide the clumps to restore vigour. This will also help control their spread!

Potential diseases and pests

Like its cousin aster, l’Erigeron has few enemies: gastropods that are particularly fond of young shoots. As a preventive measure, you can scatter wood ash and, above all, follow all our tips to keep them away in our fact sheets: “Slugs: 7 effective ways to combat them naturally”.

Soil must always be well drained or mildew. This disease is favoured in somewhat cramped situations, during warm, rainy weather or in soil that is too heavy and wet. To prevent and combat powdery mildew, follow our advice: “Powdery mildew or white disease: prevention and treatment”.

Propagation

La division des clumps remains the simplest way to multiply your Erigerons. It helps rejuvenate the clumps, keeping them very floriferous. Carry out each spring, possibly in autumn, or every 3 or 4 years. This plant is so generous that spontaneous sowings are not uncommon; fleabane seeds germinate easily between paving slabs and in wall crevices!

Division

• Using a sharp spade fork, lift out the clump
• Separate into a few divisions each with roots
• Replant immediately in the garden in well-prepared soil
• Water well to aid establishment

Combine

With its simple flowers, Erigeron or fleabane makes it easy to create charming, bucolic scenes in every corner of the garden. It thrives in gardens of every style, bringing colour, cheerfulness, lightness and volume.

A pretty flowering scene: Erigeron karvinskianus, Anchusa azurea ‘Loddon Royalist’

It is particularly suited to romantic settings for white gardens or pink gardens, or for composing wild, fresh or vibrant scenes in a naturalistic garden. Its pastel or intense hues blend easily with other summer-flowering perennials.

For a country-style scene, mix tall cultivars with peach-leaved bellflowers, paniculate Phlox, Veronicas, Leucanthemums, Gypsophilas, shrubby salvias and valerians.

In rock gardens or mixed borders, the smaller fleabanes form low, spreading clumps that are covered with tiny daisies through to autumn, perfect paired with pretty low-growing plants that enjoy the same conditions such as Nepeta racemosa, Geranium sanguineum, Thymus capitatus, or taller companions like cosmos or gauras.

Low varieties make excellent floriferous groundcover alongside sedums, nicely masking the base of shrub roses.

An idea for a border planting: Salvia nemorosa ‘April Night’, Knautia arvensis and Erigeron karvinskianus

In a sunny summer border it will perform wonderfully alongside nemesia, nigellas, achilleas and knautia.

In a romantic border in shades of blue, the large heads of Alliums and Agapanthus, Buenos Aires verbenas or the spikes of delphiniums will stand majestically above clumps of fleabane.

In a white garden, white fleabane varieties pair with white Eremurus, foxgloves or white persicarias.

Its delicate flowering partners wonderfully with grasses such as stipa, tufted hairgrass or pennisetum in lush scenes inspired by sunny naturalistic meadows.

Fleabanes are perfect for creating an autumn border, surrounded by Asters, strawflowers and echinaceas that will bloom until first frosts.

→ Discover 7 other ideas for pairing fleabanes