Antennaria solitaria

Common Names

Singlehead Pussytoes, Solitary Pussytoes

Summary

Antennaria solitaria, commonly known as Singlehead Pussytoes, is a North American, dioecious perennial native to the southeastern and east-central United States. It forms stems 15–25 cm tall with elongate stolons 5.5–20 cm and bears solitary heads on each flowering stalk. Basal leaves are 3–5-nerved, obovate to broadly oblong-spatulate (20–75 × 15–45 mm) with mucronate tips, abaxially tomentose and adaxially gray-pubescent to floccose-glabrate; cauline leaves are linear (1–17 mm). Flowers appear in early to mid-spring on moist, rich deciduous woodlands and forests along slopes or stream banks, producing a distinctive solitary-head profile.

In cultivation, it is hardy in USDA zones 6a–8b and usually propagated by cuttings. It forms an evergreen groundcover, tolerates drought and nutritionally poor soils, and accepts acidic soils as well as alkaline crevices when drainage is good. Suitable landscape uses include slopes, mass plantings, rock gardens, and shade gardens, with a role in pollinator-friendly settings; pruning dead stems promotes new growth and improves airflow.

Lifecycle

Perennial

Height

4-10 inches

Spread

2-8 inches

Hardiness Zones

Zones 6a-8b

Sunlight Requirements

Ideally full Sun. Tolerates light shade and partial shade.

Soil Type

Moist, rich soils on slopes or stream banks in deciduous woodlands.

Soil Drainage

Moist soils

Soil pH

0.0-6.0, Acidic

Bloom Color

White

Bloom Time

Spring

Foliage Color

Gray-green

Fall Foliage Color

Gray-green

Leaf Lifecycle

Evergreen broadleaf

Growth Rate

Medium

Seasons of Interest

Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter

Propagation Methods

Cuttings

Attracts Wildlife

Attracts butterflies and other pollinators; no explicit mention of attraction for bees, hummingbirds, or birds