Erigeron pulchellus var. pulchellus 'Lynnhaven Carpet' - Robin's Plantain cultivar

Sizes available: Landscape plug

Basics: zones 4-8, 12-15 inches (in bloom), by 18-24", part sun to part shade (can take lots of shade and you will have an excellent ground cover, but less bloom), single cute daisies appear a foot or so above the rosettes of foliage on leafless stems in late spring, likes dry to medium moisture soils, and even damper with good drainage, drought tolerant once established

Common names: This is a cultivar of Robin's Plantain, also called Rose Petty, Robert's Plantain, and Blue Spring-daisy

Family: Asteraceae

Origin/Distribution: This is a selection originally found growing in a native population occurring in the garden of Clarice Keeling of Virginia Beach, VA. It was named after the Lynnhaven River by Charles Cresson (4th generation owner of Hedgleigh Spring in Swarthmore, PA - look it up!) and was developed and introduced into the trade by North Creek Nursery. The species is native from Maine to Ontario and southeastern Minnesota, south to Georgia, Mississippi, and eastern Texas

Habitat: the species is found in open woods, savanna, and water's edge

More: This plant will form a very tight ground cover with the bonus of a charming but brief bloom in late spring to early summer. Once gone by, the flowering stems can be cut back to the attractive and ever-useful rosettes of foliage for the remainder of the season. This is an easy-going plant that can be divided and put under almost any larger perennial or shrub. I also imagine it can take quite a bit of sun with consistent moisture, but I haven't tried that out yet. Deer resistant. The species has been used medicinally.

Nursery: Landscape plugs from New Moon

Image credits: The first image is the species, E. pulchellus courtesy of Bouba; the second image is a blooming stand of 'Lynnhaven Carpet' courtesy of Cathy Dewitt. I am showing both because the 'Lynnhaven Carpet' in my own garden blooms on the pale purple side, but it seems as though there is some variability in bloom color. Both of these images are via the North Carolina Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox.