Anaphalis margaritacea

Common Names

Pearly Everlasting, Western Pearly Everlasting

Summary

Pearly Everlasting, Anaphalis margaritacea, is a rhizomatous perennial native to North America and Asia, forming upright clumps with dense, woolly gray green foliage and white flower heads that display yellow centers surrounded by papery, pearly white bracts for a distinctive pearl like look, it grows about 30 to 90 cm tall and 30 to 60 cm wide, with mid summer to early fall blooming and durable inflorescences suited to dried arrangements, in cultivation it prefers full sun to partial shade and dry, well drained soils, tolerating poor soils and being drought tolerant once established, it spreads by rhizomes to form clumps and is deer and rabbit resistant, while attracting bees and butterflies and serving as a host plant for Painted Lady butterflies, uses include cut and dried flowers, wildflower borders, dry meadows, rock gardens, native plantings, and low maintenance accents, with hardiness in USDA zones 3a to 9b.

Lifecycle

Perennial

Height

12-36 inches

Spread

12-24 inches

Hardiness Zones

Zones 3-8

Sunlight Requirements

Ideally Full Sun, tolerates Partial Sun and Partial Shade.

Soil Type

Moist, well-drained soil

Soil Drainage

Well-drained soil

Soil pH

No ideal soil pH listed, Tolerates all pH levels

Bloom Color

White (pearly white), sometimes with yellow centers.

Bloom Time

Summer to Fall

Foliage Color

Gray-green to silvery-green foliage with white tomentose beneath

Fall Foliage Color

Rust colored

Leaf Lifecycle

Deciduous

Growth Rate

Fast

Seasons of Interest

Summer and Fall

Propagation Methods

Seeds, Cuttings, Division

Attracts Wildlife

Attracts bees, Attracts butterflies, Attracts other pollinators