BBC Gardeners' World

Plant details

• Common Name: Fleabane
• Genus: Erigeron
• Species: karvinskianus
• Skill Level: beginner
• Exposure: full sun, partial shade
• Hardiness: hardy
• Soil type: acidic, chalky/alkaline, well-drained/light
• Height: 0.3m
• Spread: 0.6m
• Time to divide plants: March to May
• Time to plant seeds: April to May

This charming slender plant is a native of Mexico, but has established itself in many Mediterranean areas and dry gardens in Britain. It looks most effective creeping down the sides of stone or brick steps or tucked in wall crevices, where it both seeds itself and also spreads slowly with its rhizomatous roots. Good drainage and plenty of sunshine are essential for plants to survive cold damp winters. Plants are easily raised from seed, which may be scattered in the cracks between paving stones or mixed with a little clay and pressed into hollowed mortar joints in walls. The Royal Horticultural Society has given it its prestigious Award of Garden Merit (AGM).