Description

Anaphalis – Pearly everlasting

There are about 100 species of spreading to upright perennials growing anywhere from 6” to 30” tall some being evergreen, in this genus.  They derive from dry slopes, dry forest, sunny riverbanks or moist riverbanks in the Northern Hemisphere and in high altitudes in the tropics.  It produces narrow lance shaped woolly haired almost cobwebbed gray foliage.  It bears many tiny white ¼-1” wide flower heads that group together to form papery everlasting corymbs.  Good for drying or as cut flowers.

Grow in full sun or partial shade in moderately fertile gritty reasonable well-drained soil that does not dry out in summer.  Divide in early spring.

Prone to stem rot, rust, and Septoria leaf spot.

Anaphalis nepalensis var. monocephala – Anaphalis nubigena – This species found from China to Tibet, grows 4-8” tall and a foot wide.  It has short densely white woolly stems and 1” long linear to lance shaped light gray-green leaves with white woolly undersides.  In mid summer it bears solitary to several white or yellow flower heads that groups together to forms flower heads ½” across.

Zones 5-9