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?