What is the relationship between Santa Barbara and Mexican fleabane ? It is hard to say. Holy persons are to attract attention whereas fleabane has long been reputed to drive away fleas, at least Mexican ones. Both names, however, refer to a small herbaceous plant Santa Barbara had probably never heard of, before she became its patron saint: Erigeron karvinskianus. The Latinized name karvinskianus has a less heavenly origin as it was coined to commemorate one of the most outstanding minds of the XIX century: Baron Wilhelm Friedrich von Karwinsky von Karwin, whose vast interests in nature made him visit Brazil and Mexico. There he noticed and described a lot of new species, one of them was a daisy- like graceful plant, the protagonist of today's post. And fleas? They had been absent at that time driven away to remote places. Who knows whether or not Santa Barbara was involved in that exodus?
Chasing away fleas is not the only reason for Erigeron to grow it in our garden or balcony. Although the flower heads resemble a lot that of common daisy ones, yet its long and slender stems decorated with small leaves are more elegant and supple and that makes a great difference. Each stem is topped with a 15 mm (half inch) in width flower whose petals - when young - are usually white, but slowly turn pink. That colour change is subject to change as some of the flowers start being pink and become lighter with age, which makes the whole process of abundant blooming even more attractive. Especially for bees and butterflies that love Mexican fleabane flowers unlike fleas.
Erigeron karvinskianus is a perennial species but cannot be left in the garden for winter months where winters are quite harsh as the roots will not survive that misery. In milder regions the plant can be left without any cold protection, which in turn can result in self-sown individuals that might become invasive, and... compete with common daisies.
It grows well in rock gardens, formal and informal gardens as well as a border plant, and also does well in all types of containers with an emphasis on hanging ones. Rich flowering requires a lot of sun, regular but well-drained, fertile garden soil which does not dry out too quickly. In hot summers regular watering is a must. Do not overfeed with fertilisers as too much nitrogen encourages more stem and leaf formation but delays flowering. Deadhead to encourage and prolong blooming throughout the whole vegetative season.
In colder zones the plants have to be taken indoors just before first autumn frost spells and wintered in light and cool rooms, just like geraniums, with little watering and not fertilising at all. In early spring we cut back old stems to stimulate branching and after a necessary hardening the plants can be either planted in flowerbeds or just placed on terraces and balconies.
For those who like to propagate plants , Erigeron is a very good partner in such adventures. We can use its seeds, or root stem cuttings, or divide bigger specimens, all done in early spring. The seedling may bloom later in the year or not, but they will definitely form a lot of flowers the following year.
Santa Barbara is a saint patron of those who work with all kinds of explosives. I hope it is not a farfetched interpretation, but to see Erigeron karvinskianus in full bloom it is as if struck by... lightning and lightning has always been associated with Saint Barbara. A very clear and likely explanation, don't you think?
Erigeron karvinskianus is a perennial species but cannot be left in the garden for winter months where winters are quite harsh as the roots will not survive that misery. In milder regions the plant can be left without any cold protection, which in turn can result in self-sown individuals that might become invasive, and... compete with common daisies.
It grows well in rock gardens, formal and informal gardens as well as a border plant, and also does well in all types of containers with an emphasis on hanging ones. Rich flowering requires a lot of sun, regular but well-drained, fertile garden soil which does not dry out too quickly. In hot summers regular watering is a must. Do not overfeed with fertilisers as too much nitrogen encourages more stem and leaf formation but delays flowering. Deadhead to encourage and prolong blooming throughout the whole vegetative season.
In colder zones the plants have to be taken indoors just before first autumn frost spells and wintered in light and cool rooms, just like geraniums, with little watering and not fertilising at all. In early spring we cut back old stems to stimulate branching and after a necessary hardening the plants can be either planted in flowerbeds or just placed on terraces and balconies.
For those who like to propagate plants , Erigeron is a very good partner in such adventures. We can use its seeds, or root stem cuttings, or divide bigger specimens, all done in early spring. The seedling may bloom later in the year or not, but they will definitely form a lot of flowers the following year.
Santa Barbara is a saint patron of those who work with all kinds of explosives. I hope it is not a farfetched interpretation, but to see Erigeron karvinskianus in full bloom it is as if struck by... lightning and lightning has always been associated with Saint Barbara. A very clear and likely explanation, don't you think?
Jarek
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