Anaphalis margaritacea
Pearly Everlasting
Please register or login to build your personal plant list.This silvery-sheened ‘pearly’ plant attracts a variety of butterflies and offers season-long interest in the home garden.
Description:
Tall stems and elongated leaves of Pearly Everlasting give the appearance of a slim-statured plant. The stems and leaves are light green and covered with white hair-like structures which give the whole plant a silvery sheen. This herbaceous perennial can grow to 3 ft. Wooly bracts surround and engulf the yellow disc flowers of this composite, adding to its pearly-white appearance. The ‘everlasting’ bracts remain appealing to the eye even after the yellow center wilts to brown, making Pearly Everlasting a lovely choice for dried flower arrangements. Adult moths and butterflies benefit from the nectar. As a host plant for American Lady, the larvae uses silk to create a nest of leaves on which they feed. Allow the caterpillars to feed, as this hardy plant will rebound and flower later in the season, while you delight in watching butterflies flit around your yard. Native to NJ and occurs in most of the US and Canada, except the southeast from Georgia to Texas. Grows in dry, gravelly, sandy and clay-rich soils in full sun or partial shade. Tolerates drought. Best planted in large masses; pair with Eastern Blazing Star, and Little Bluestem.
Plant Details:
Plant Type: Flower, Perennial
New Jersey Native: Yes
Bloom Times: Summer, Late Summer to Fall
Bloom Colors: Yellow, White
Deer Resistance: High
Attracts Pollinators and Wildlife: Butterflies
Salt Tolerance: Unknown
Hardiness Zone: 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b
Physiographic Region: All Regions in NJ
Soil Characteristics
Soil Type: Loam, Sandy, Clay
Soil Moisture: Dry, Moist
Soil pH: Slightly Acidic, Neutral, Slightly Alkaline
Light Needs of Plant
Light Range: Full Sun, Partial Shade
Water Needs of Plant
Soil Moisture: Dry, Moist
Drought Tolerance: Medium
Size and Growth Rate
Height: 1 - 3 ft
Spread: 1 - 2 ft
Growth Rate: Medium-fast