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A member of the Aster family, Pussytoes is named for its soft, fuzzy flower heads that resemble a kitten’s paw. This plant is a rugged specialist for the difficult, dry spots in a landscape where other plants might struggle to take hold, such as in a rock garden. This plant is usually grown for it’s velvety leaves, not it’s white flower.
Sun Exposure Full Sun to Partial Shade
Water Needs Low; highly drought-tolerant
Soil Type Needed Well-drained Sand, Gravel, Rocky, or Lean/Poor soil
Mature Height 1–4 inches (foliage); up to 12 inches (flowers)
Deer Resistance High (parts of the plant are poisonous to deer and rabbits)
Bloom Time April – June
Bloom Color White
Plant Spacing 6 – 12 inches
Ground Cover: This plant spreads via stolons (above-ground runners) to create a tight, weed-suppressing carpet. It is an excellent native alternative to non-native groundcovers.
Silver Foliage: The leaves grow at ground level and are covered in tiny white hairs, giving the plant a soft, silvery-gray appearance.
Early Season "Paws": In mid-spring, fuzzy white-to-pinkish flower clusters rise above the foliage on slender stalks. Their unique texture is one of the earliest signs of life in a native rock garden.
Drought tolerant: Pussytoes thrives in "poor" soil. In fact, if the soil is too rich or heavily fertilized, the plant may become leggy or lose its tight, mat-forming habit. It loves the neglected corners of the yard.
Host Plant: Pussytoes is a critical host plant for the American Lady butterfly (Vanessa virginiensis).
A member of the Aster family, Pussytoes is named for its soft, fuzzy flower heads that resemble a kitten’s paw. This plant is a rugged specialist for the difficult, dry spots in a landscape where other plants might struggle to take hold, such as in a rock garden. This plant is usually grown for it’s velvety leaves, not it’s white flower.
Sun Exposure Full Sun to Partial Shade
Water Needs Low; highly drought-tolerant
Soil Type Needed Well-drained Sand, Gravel, Rocky, or Lean/Poor soil
Mature Height 1–4 inches (foliage); up to 12 inches (flowers)
Deer Resistance High (parts of the plant are poisonous to deer and rabbits)
Bloom Time April – June
Bloom Color White
Plant Spacing 6 – 12 inches
Ground Cover: This plant spreads via stolons (above-ground runners) to create a tight, weed-suppressing carpet. It is an excellent native alternative to non-native groundcovers.
Silver Foliage: The leaves grow at ground level and are covered in tiny white hairs, giving the plant a soft, silvery-gray appearance.
Early Season "Paws": In mid-spring, fuzzy white-to-pinkish flower clusters rise above the foliage on slender stalks. Their unique texture is one of the earliest signs of life in a native rock garden.
Drought tolerant: Pussytoes thrives in "poor" soil. In fact, if the soil is too rich or heavily fertilized, the plant may become leggy or lose its tight, mat-forming habit. It loves the neglected corners of the yard.
Host Plant: Pussytoes is a critical host plant for the American Lady butterfly (Vanessa virginiensis).