Species Hooker's Pussytoes
white-brown flowers with yellow-green petioles and stems

Hooker's Pussytoes

Antennaria racemosa

Also Known As - Racemose Pussytoes
Hooker's Pussytoes is a perennial species of cushion plant native to Alaska and western North America. It is a sprawling, matted plant with small, gray-green, toothed leaves and white, downy flower heads. The plant produces white fluffy fruits that remain on the stalks over winter, adding winter texture to the landscape. These plants prefer dry to medium soils in full sun and tolerate drought and other environmental extremes. They make an excellent natural groundcover and are best planted in areas with poor drainage or poorly fertilized soils. Used in wildlife habitats and xeriscapes, Hooker's Pussytoes is a low-maintenance, easy to care for plant.

Watering:

Minimal

Propagation:

Division,Seed Propagation,Cutting,Layering Propagation

Hardiness Zone:

Sun:

full sun,part shade

Growth Rate:

Low

Drought Tolerant:

Yes

Salt Tolerant:

Yes

Care Level:

Low

watering

Hooker's Pussytoes (Antennaria racemosa) should be watered when the soil starts to dry out on the surface. Typically, the plant needs to be watered every 4-7 days. Make sure to water the plant deeply every time, so that the moisture wets the entire root system. Try not to water too much, as the plant will not thrive in soggy soil. When watering, avoid getting the leaves wet, as this can promote fungal disease.

sunlight

Hooker's Pussytoes prefers bright, indirect sunlight, and tolerates both full sunlight and partial shade. It does best in filtered light, such as dappled shade under trees or shrubs, or beneath garden breezeways. It requires 4-8 hours of direct sunlight to thrive, and will not do well if placed in completely shaded areas. This species of plant should not be placed in extreme full sunlight for more than 4 hours, as this can cause the leaves to scorch and become damaged. However, it does quite well in cooler climates and can easily handle up to 12 hours of direct sunlight in the summer.

pruning

Hooker's Pussytoes (Antennaria racemosa) should be pruned in early spring, when the plant has just begun to emerge from dormancy.Remove dead or diseased stems by cutting them off just above the shared junction with a healthy stem, and cut out any stems that are too weak or upright growing.If the plant is becoming congested, it can be thinned out, but take care not to prune more than a third of the stems in any 1 year.The plant benefits from light pruning every year, as it helps to maintain an attractive shape and reduces the risk of overcrowding.