Antennaria

( an - ten - AR - ee - uh )

At-A-Glance Information

Commonly called Pussy Toes, Cat's Foot, or Everlasting, this genus is native to temperate regions in the Northern Hemisphere, South America and northern Asia. Antennaria takes full sun and moderate to regular water to perform well in the landscape. Plants form inch-high mats of wooly foliage that spreads among rocks and between paving stones well. They can also be used at the front of a garden border or as a small-space groundcover. Tiny puff-like flowers in shades of pink and white will attract pollinators like butterflies to the garden.

Antennaria species and Varietals

The genus Antennaria includes between 45 and 70 species and is a member of the plant family Asteraceae, making it a relative of plants like Aster and Sunflower. Pussy Toes grows well in USDA hardiness zones 3-9 or Sunset growing zones A1, A2, 1-3, 6-7 and 14-16. To find your zone, click here: Zone Map.

Antennaria alpina (Antennaria porsildii) (Alpine Pussytoes, Alpine Everlasting, Alpine Catsfoot)
This species is native to the subarctic regions of Alaska, the Canadian Arctic, Greenland, and Scandinavia, and can be found as far south as the Rocky Mountain regions in Montana and Wyoming. Flowers are pinkish white, and the plant reaches just 6 inches tall at maturity.

Antennaria anaphaloides (Pearly Pussytoes, Tall Pussytoes, Handsome Pussytoes)
This plant is native to western regions of Canada and the United States where it typically grows as a wildflower. Pearly Pussytoes produces tufts of pearl-white flowers in springtime and reaches up to between 8 and 20 inches tall when mature and in bloom.

Antennaria argentea (Silver Pussytoes, Silvery Everlasting)
This species is native to Oregon, Nevada, Idaho, Montana, and Washington as well as central and northern California. These flowers prefer the environment of dry coniferous forests and forms a basal patch of grey-green leaves. Flowers are white and bloom atop thin stems. Mature plants reach up to 16 inches tall when in bloom.

Antennaria aromatica (Scented Pussytoes, Aromatic Pussytoes)
The crushed leaves of this species are said to smell very similar to Citronella. Flowers are cream-white and plants are native to Alberta, Montana, Idaho and Wyoming, where they are commonly found growing in high-elevation mountain ranges. Plants reach between 1 and 3 inches tall and produce foot-tall flowering stems.

Antennaria corymbosa (Flat-Top Pussytoes, Meadow Pussytoes)
Native to the western United States and Canada, this species grows in moist, cool areas nestled in mountain ranges. Flowers are white to cream-yellow, and sit atop stems emerging from a basal rosette of grey-green leaves. Individual plants reach up to between 2 and 6 inches tall with flower stems that raise above the basal foliage clump.

Antennaria densifolia (Denseleaf Pussytoes, Dense-Leaved Pussytoes)
These plants prefer sub-alpine environments with limestone-rich soil. Leaves form a basal mat of silvery grey-green foliage, and flower stalks are topped with white to cream colored blooms. Found in Canada, Alaska, and Montana. Can reach up to 6 inches tall when in bloom.

Antennaria dimorpha (Low Pussytoes, Gray Cushion Pussytoes)
This species is native to western Canada down through California to Mexico, and is generally found in dry habitats within certain landscapes like scablands, sagebrush desert, and ponderosa pine forest openings. It forms a small mat of grey-green foliage from which short flower stems emerge, each topped with a single cream flower. Does well in rocky soils.

Antennaria dioica (Mountain Everlasting, Catsfood, Cudweed)
Especially beautiful in alpine trough gardens or when tucked between boulders in a summer rock garden. Can withstand foot traffic well, and is extremely hardy to cold. Plants typically reach 4-10 inches tall when in bloom and have a spread of 8-24 inches or more. Popularly grown garden varieties include 'Rubra' (pictured) and 'Rosea'.

Antennaria flagellaris (Whip Pussytoes, Stoloniferous Pussytoes)
This wildflower species of Antennaria is native to the Great Basin in the United States, northeastern California, Wyoming, South Dakota, and British Colombia. It forms a thin patch on the ground, and spreads by thin, wiry stolons across the ground. Each single inflorescence holds a cream-colored flower. To under an inch tall when mature.

Antennaria friesiana (Fries' Pussytoes)
This interesting population of Antennaria grows primarily in the northernmost areas of Asia and North America. Varieties include A. friesiana alaskana, A. friesiana beringensis, A. friesiana friesiana and A. friesiana neoalaskana. Flowers are generally held above the foliage and are white to cream-colored. Plants reach up to 3-6 inches tall when mature.

Antennaria geyeri (Pinewoods Pussytoes, Mountain Pussytoes, Geyer's Pussytoes)
This wildflower species of Antennaria is native to forest floors under pine trees in Washington, Oregon, California, and Nevada. It reaches just 5.5 inches tall and leaves are wooly and greyish-green. The species is named for German botanist Karl Andreas Geyer who first discovered the species near what is now Spokane, Washington.

Antennaria howellii (Everlasting, Howell's Pussytoes, Canada Pussytoes, Field Pussytoes)
This species is native to Alaska, Canada, and the northernmost areas of California, Colorado, and North Carolina. This plant forms a basal rosette of green leaves from which flower stems sprout. Flowers are generally white. Named for American botanist Thomas J. Howell, who collected the first known specimens of the plant in 1887.

Antennaria lanata (Antennaria villifera) (Woolly Pussytoes, White-Margined Pussytoes)
Native to the northwestern United States, this species reaches just 8 inches tall. Leaves are covered with a thick white wool. These plants grow in protected alpine and subalpine sites in mountainous regions.

Antennaria luzuloides (Rush Pussytoes, Woodrush Pussytoes, Silvery Brown Pussytoes, Small-Flowered Everlasting)
This species of Antennaria is native to western Canada and western United States, and produces a basal growth of wooly grey-green leaves. Flowers are generally white and bloom in a somewhat flat inflorescence that can hold up to 30 flowers.

Antennaria marginata (Whitemargin Pussytoes, White-Margined Everlasting)
This plant rarely grows to be over 8 inches tall, and is considered a wildflower. It is native to northwestern Mexico and southwestern United States. The moniker 'Whitemargin' refers to the fact that the leaves have a small ring of hair around the margins, but the rest of the leaf is hairless.

Antennaria media (Rocky Mountain Pussytoes, Alpine Pussytoes)
This species is native to the Western United States and Canada, and forms a matted patch of stolons and wooly basal leaves that are grey-green. Plants reach up to 6 inches tall and produce foot-tall flowering stems topped with cream colored, clustered flower heads.

Antennaria microphylla (Littleleaf Pussytoes, Rosy Pussytoes, Pink Pussytoes, Small Pussytoes, Dwarf Everlasting)
This species reaches between 2 and 12 inches tall, and produces rosy flowers atop grey-green stems from May through July. Leaves are also grey-green. This species makes a great small-scale groundcover for informal gardens.

Antennaria monocephala (Pygmy Pussytoes, Single-Head Pussytoes)
This species is native to arctic and alpine regions North America and Asia. It rarely exceeds 6 inches in height. Flowers are cream-colored to white.

Antennaria neglecta (Field Pussytoes, Prairie Everlasting)
This native of Canada and the northwestern United States produces a plant around 10 inches tall that has up to 8 flowering heads. It is considered a wildflower. Field Pussytoes produces white flowering heads with pink bracts.

Antennaria parlinii (Parlin's Pussytoes)
Native to eastern Canada and the United States, this species reaches up to 18 inches tall and produces white flowers from April through June. This species naturally grows in rocky areas in full sun to partial shade and prefers acidic soil. The species was named for the American botanist John Crawford Parlin. Great as a groundcover in small spaces or in rock gardens.

Antennaria parvifolia (Small-Leaf Pussytoes, Nuttall's Pussytoes, Low Everlasting)
This species is native to western and central North America, and has wooly grey-green leaves. White flowers bloom July through September. This species was extirpated from California in 1987. Individual plants reach 3-6 inches tall and spread to 8-18 inches wide, making them great groundcovers.

Antennaria plataginifolia (Plantain Leaf Pussytoes, Woman's Tobacco, Ladies' Tobacco, Mouse Ear)
This plant is native to eastern North America and produces a basal rosette of leaves with hairy undersides. It spreads via stolons. Flowers are cream and bloom in springtime. Plants can reach between 6 and 12 inches tall when mature and in bloom and have a spread of 8-18 inches wide.

Antennaria pulchella (Sierra Pussytoes, Beautiful Pussytoes)
This 5-inch tall wildflower species is native to high elevations of the Sierra Nevadas. It produces a basal patch of wooly grey-green leaves dotted with purple glands. Flowers are white-cream and bloom atop thin stems that are held above the foliage. Individual plants reach up to 1-5 inches tall and spread via stolons to form small colonies.

Antennaria pulcherrima (Antennaria eucosma) (Showy Pussytoes, Handsome Pussytoes, Tall Pussytoes)
This wildflower Antennaria species is native to Canada and the northern United States and reaches 25.5 inches tall at maturity when in bloom. Flowers are cream colored and are present from spring through summer.

Antennaria racemosa (Racemose Pussytoes, Racemose Pussytoes, Slender Pussytoes, Hooker's Pussytoes)
This species is native to mountain forests in moist, partially shaded areas in the northwest United States and Canada. These plants form basal patches of greenery that can be hairless or wooly as well as flat or upright. They generally reach a height of 20 inches tall.

Antennaria rosea (Rosy Pussytoes, Cat's Foot, Mountain Everlasting)
This species has a widespread natural range from Canada down to north Mexico. It can adapt to many habitats, from dry to wet to low to high elevations. These flowers bloom in summertime, and produce blossoms in shades of pink. Individual plants reach 4-16 inches tall and form a low-growing mat of grey-green foliage that reaches to 1-2 feet wide.

Antennaria rosulata (Kaibab Pussytoes, Wooly Pussytoes)
This plant grows to just an inch tall and produces flower heads one at a time, usually in white or light pink. It is native to the southwestern United States. Leaves are greyish green and wooly. It is often found alongside Artemisia tridentata, or Great Basin Sagebrush

Antennaria soliceps (Charleston Mountain Pussytoes)
This species is endemic to Mt. Charleston in Clark County in south Nevada. It is considered rare, and does not exceed more than 2 inches in height. All known members of this species are female, and they grow along the edges of forested areas.

Antennaria solitaria (Singlehead Pussytoes, Solitary Pussytoes, Southern Singlehead Pussytoes)
This unique species is found in the southeastern and east central United States. The specific epithet solitaria refers to the plant producing single flower heads (rather than compound). Flowers are white and these plants enjoy moist rich forested areas. Leaves are greener than those of most other species in the genus.

Antennaria stenophylla (Narrowleaf Pussytoes, Narrow-Leaved Pussytoes, Narrow-Leaved Everlasting)
This plant is native to the western United States and reaches just 6 inches tall at maturity. It grows on hillsides amongst sagebrush in its native range. Foliage is linear and greenish grey.

Antennaria umbrinella (Umber Pussytoes, Brown Pussytoes)
This species of Pussytoes is native to southwestern Canada and the western United States and reaches a little over 6 inches tall. Flowers are white to brown. Leaves are grey-green and form a basal mat of foliage that spreads over time.

Antennaria virginica (Shalebarren Pussytoes)
This species reaches 6 inches tall at maturity, and forms a low basal rosette of green to grey-green wooly leaves. These plants are native to the eastern United States, mainly the Appalachian Mountains where they grow in shale-rich landscapes, hence their common name.

Caring for Antennaria

These plants for the most part prefer to be planted in full sun to partial shade; a spot that will receive between 4 and 6 hours of sun each day is ideal. Ensure that soil is well-draining and acidic to neutral in pH (between 5.0 and 7.0). If soil is particularly poor, amending with organic matter before planting can give the plants a head-start on growth. Allow soil to dry out between waterings and avoid overwatering these plants, as it can lead to fungal problems like root rot. Apply a thick layer of mulch after planting to suppress weed growth, increase soil moisture retention and mitigate soil temperature changes. Pruning is straightforward; deadhead spent flowers to improve the appearance of the plant and encourage more blooms to form. Keep Antennaria in check by trimming off stolons if the plant is wandering into places where it is unwanted. The foliage of these plants may die back in wintertime unless an evergreen variety was purchased. They will grow back fully in springtime, as long as the roots made it through the cold months. Mulching around the base of the plant before cold weather is recommended, though many species of Antennaria naturally grow in very cold areas of the globe and they are generally considered hardy.

Propagation

Antennaria can be propagated in three different ways: cuttings, seeds, and division. To ensure that your propagated plant will have the exact same qualities and characteristics as the parent plant, choose the cutting or division methods. If you would like to experiment and see what plant you can grow from seed, just keep in mind that it will not necessarily be the same as the parent plant. To propagate your Pussy Toes, follow the instructions below:

Propagating Antennaria by Cutting

Gather your materials. You'll need a clean, sanitized, sharp pair of garden shears, rooting hormone, a pencil, and a 3-inch pot filled with well-draining compost or other organic material. If you don't have any potting medium on hand, you can make some. Just mix together equal parts (by volume) moss peat and horticultural-grade sand or grit sand.
In spring or early summertime, choose the plant that you'd like to propagate. Ensure that this plant has had a good watering the night before, as this will improve the chances your cutting will take root. Cut one or more 6 inch portion(s) of the end of a non-blooming branch and strip the leaves off of the lower half. Make a hole in your planting medium by pushing your pencil into the soil. Dip the end of the stem in rooting hormone, and plant it in your pot. Fill in soil around the cutting to support it, but do not pack it down too much.
Moisten with water, and ensure that the pot has good drainage. Your pot should be kept in warm, sunny conditions indoors (and not in direct sunlight). Water whenever your soil is dry under the top layer. After about four to six weeks have passed, your cutting should be rooted. When you notice new growth, you'll know you have roots.
Keep your new plant in an area with bright light (though not direct sunlight) and temperatures between 55 and 70 degrees Fahrenheit. Ensure that the soil stays moist, but not wet, until the next spring, when you can transplant it to its new home. Ensure that the last frost of the year has occurred before doing this, as it can seriously damage your new shrub.

Propagating Antennaria by Seed

Keep in mind that the plant you get from seed will not necessarily mimic all of the characteristics of the parent plant, and that Antennaria plants are dioecious, meaning male and female flowers form on different plants. In order to harvest viable seeds, both a male and female plant needs to be present. To propagate by seed, you will need a paper bag, a pot or tray filled with well-draining compost or other organic material, a spray bottle and a fork. If you don't have any potting medium on hand, you can make some. The best potting medium for seed germination is a light blend of 1/3 pasteurized soil or compost, 1/3 sand, vermiculite or perlite, and 1/3 coconut coir or peat moss.
Harvest your seeds. The seed heads are pretty easy to spot, they're left behind after flowers have faded; seeds will begin to be released by the plant quickly after they are matured, and it can be somewhat difficult to time collection activities. Placing mesh bags over maturing flowering heads is recommended. When harvesting, cut flower heads off of the plant and place them in a paper bag. Harvest as many as you can, and place the paper bag in a dry, cool, dark area. They will begin to release the seeds contained inside. Once they have been released, take them out of the bag and put them in a container so you can work with them. Remove the 'chaff' from each seed (that's the husk of the seed with the attached fluff).
In fall, water your prepared seed tray or pot filled with soil, and ensure that good drainage is occurring. Place your seeds in your pot or seed tray about a quarter inch to a half-inch under the soil surface. Cover them with soil and water with your spray bottle. Place your tray of seeds in a warm area that receives bright, indirect light. A greenhouse is the most ideal climate, but a planting tray inside a window will do as well. Germination usually takes about 21 days from sowing. Once you begin to see seedlings sprout and they are able to be handled (they'll be between 3 and 4 inches tall), transplant them to their own individual 3-inch pots, filled with the same potting medium as described in Step 1. Loosen the seedlings from the potting medium by digging down with the tines of your fork about an inch and a half, gently working the seedling up until it is out. Then, replant the seedling in its individual pot.
Keep the seedling's potting medium moist, but not wet, by spraying the soil with your spray bottle. Keep your new plant in an area with bright light (though not direct sunlight) and temperatures between 55 and 70 degrees Fahrenheit. Ensure that the soil stays moist, but not wet, until the next spring (after the danger of frost has passed), when you can transplant it to its new home.

Propagating Antennaria by Division
This type of propagation is relatively simple; you will need a clean shovel, mulch, fresh soil (any kind will do, though it does need to be well-draining), compost, and pots (12 inch pots will do, and these are only necessary if you will be saving divided plants for transporting elsewhere). Division is best done in spring or fall (after the plant has entered dormancy). To propagate by division, follow these steps:

Using a shovel, dig up your existing plant. Start from the outside and work your way in to avoid damaging the tuber roots. Once you have worked it up out of the ground, lay it out.
Start to tease apart the roots with your gloved fingers. Once the roots are untangled, separate your plant into segments, ensuring that each one has at least one thick tuberous section.
Prepare your pot(s) or new planting site(s) with amended, well-draining soil. You can either bring in new soil or simply amend your existing soil with compost to complete this task. Then, plant your divided tubers about an inch under the soil surface and water thoroughly.
Apply a thick layer of mulch over the new planting to protect it from cold weather as it acclimates to its new home. Then, enjoy watching it sprout.

Antennaria seeds ready to be harvested from the dried flower heads. These seeds are wind-dispersed, and have a chaff that allows them to catch a breeze and be dropped away from the parent plant.

Antennaria seeds are very tiny; when working with them, it is advisable to lay them out on a baking sheet or other flat, contained space.

Problems and Pests

Antennaria is a resilient plant that is not commonly bothered by any pests or diseases. They can, however, be susceptible to developing issues with the following from time to time: