Antennaria
( an - ten - AR - ee - uh )
At-A-Glance InformationCommonly called Pussy Toes or Everlasting, this native to temperate regions in the Northern Hemisphere, South America and northern Asia takes full sun and moderate to regular water to perform well. This plant forms inch-high mats of wooly foliage that spreads among rocks and between paving stones well. It can also be used at the front of a garden border. It produces furry puffs of tiny flowers in shades of pink and white which will attract pollinators like butterflies to your garden.
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Antennaria species and Varietals
The genus Antennaria is a member of the plant family Asteraceae, making it a relative of plants like Aster and Sunflower. Pussy Toes grows well in 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) This species is native to the subarctic regions of Alaska, the Canadian Arctic, Greenland, and Scandanavia, and are 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 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. |
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 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. |
Antennaria geyeri (Pinewoods Pussytoes, Mountain 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 grey-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) 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 marginata (Whitemargin Pussytoes) 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 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 parlinii (Parlin's Pussytoes) Native to eastern Canada and the United States, this species reaches up to 18 inches tall and produces white flowers April through June. This species naturally grows in rocky areas in full sun to partial shade and prefers acidic soil. This species was named for the American botanist John Crawford Parlin. Great as a groundcover. |
Antennaria racemosa (Racemose 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 rosulata (Kaibab Pussytoes, Wooly Pussytoes) This plant grows to just an inch tall and produce 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. |
Caring for Antennaria
These plants for the most part prefer to be planted in full sun; 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 Root Rot problems. Apply a thick layer of mulch after planting to suppress weed growth 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. The plant 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 hardy.
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. The plant 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 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
Propagating Antennaria by Seed
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 and been cut to the ground, but before it has begun its new spring growth), and needs to be done every few years regardless of whether you have the goal of propagating the plants for best performance. To propagate by division, follow these steps:
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. 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. Just mix together equal parts (by volume) moss peat and horticultural-grade sand or grit sand. You will also, after a few weeks, need individual 3-inch pots for each seedling that grows.
- 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. Cut flower heads off of the plant, placing 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 and been cut to the ground, but before it has begun its new spring growth), and needs to be done every few years regardless of whether you have the goal of propagating the plants for best performance. 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.
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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.
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Problems and Pests
Antennaria is a resilient plant that is not commonly bothered by any pests or diseases. If the correct soil conditions are met, these plants can thrive in many different settings. Overwatering is the most common issue with this plant, as it causes Powdery Mildew and Root Rot diseases. For more information on these issues, including how to solve them, visit the following pages:
Gallery
Plant Antennaria along pathways for a playful, low-maintenance border.
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Here, Antennaria is planted in between stepping stones, and makes a great backdrop for Blue Fescue and Sedum 'Prima Angelina'.
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Antennaria does very well in rock gardens.
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Videos
Learn about this powerhouse of a groundcover.
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All about Plantain Leaf Pussytoes.
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See a colony of Antennaria plantaginifolia at work holding up a steep hillside.
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How to identify a Field Pussytoes in the wild.
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Resources
The New Sunset Western Garden Book: The Ultimate Gardening Guide (2012) - Page 154, Antennaria dioica
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