By Charlotte Torgovitsky.
A Coastal Beauty for Every Garden
If you’re looking for a native plant that combines beauty, resilience, and ecological value, Seaside Daisy (Erigeron glaucus) is a wonderful choice. This charming perennial brings soft color and coastal character to the garden—and it’s just as appealing to pollinators as it is to people. Here’s why it’s one of my favorites.
A Delicate-Looking but Hardy Native
This lovely perennial plant has a delicate beauty that belies its hardy nature! Seaside Daisy is at home along California’s coastal bluffs, but very adaptable and easy in garden culture. It needs just average water with good drainage and is at its best with the full sun of early summer, when it is at the height of bloom.
Late Spring Blooms for Pollinators
In late May through early June the plant is covered in showy blossoms with delicately fringed petals and a large number of tiny disc flowers which attracts a host of pollinators searching for an abundant source of nectar and pollen. Flower colors vary – with shades of lilac to hot pink and also a hybrid named ‘White Lights’. In early summer Seaside Daisy will be smothered with blossoms and will rebloom with some dead-heading – but flowering tends to fade with the long hot days of late summer.
Colorful Companions and Deer Resistance
In my Novato garden I have edged a border planting with all three different colors, creating a beautiful sight with the lovely magenta flowers of Salvia chiapensis in the background. My garden is open to the deer which mostly ignore this plant; they are not even nibbling at the flowers!
Simple Fall Propagation
In the fall the plant will need some trimming back. Small rosettes will have formed at the ends of stems that extend beyond the center of the plant. These should be cut back to the mother plant and can be rooted quite easily to create new plants!
Planting for Beauty and Habitat Value
Seaside Daisy offers more than just good looks. It plays a role in supporting local ecosystems—providing food for pollinators and spreading easily to fill in habitat gardens. If you’re building a garden that gives back to nature, this native perennial is a perfect place to start.
You can purchase Seaside Daisies at Home Ground Habitats!