Pussy-Toes Local Grower Pussy-Toes

Botanical name: Antennaria dioica

Family: Daisy (Asteraceae)

Category: Herbaceous perennial

Primary uses: Perennial gardens, rock gardens, butterfly gardens

Dimensions: 6-8 inches tall by 18 inches wide

Culture: Full sun to light shade; prefers well-drained, moist soil, but will grow in poor, dry conditions.

Bloom time: Late spring to early summer

Color: Pale pink to white

General attributes: Low mats of silvery leaves covered in white hairs make this a great plant for the front of the border. Fluffy pink or white flowers are held above the foliage in spring and early summer. This plant grows around the world and is a host for American Lady butterfly larvae.

More information: American Horticultural Society “A-Z Encyclopedia of Garden Plants” or www.robsplants.com/plants/ AntenDioic.php

– Mark Weathington

* Reach Mark Weathington, director of horticulture at Norfolk Botanical Garden, at mark.weathington@nbgs.org or write to him at Gracious Living, 150 W. Brambleton Ave., Norfolk, VA 23510; fax: (757) 446-2963. Look for featured plants at area garden centers or in catalogs.

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