Growing Guide
 
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Pearly Everlasting

Herbaceous Perennial Flower

Anaphalis sp.
Asteraceae Family

Pearly everlastings are prized for their long bloom period and gray-white foliage. The attractive floral heads with pearly white bracts are dried and widely used in preserved floral arrangments.

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Site Characteristics
Sunlight:
  • full sun
  • part shade
Tolerates part shade, but prefers full sun.

Soil conditions:

  • requires damp soil
The foliage of plants will decline in dry soils. Will thrive in moist soils unsuited for other gray-green foliage plants, such as Artimesia.

Hardiness zones:

  • 3 to 8
May be only marginally hardy in Zone 3.
Plant Traits

Lifecycle: perennial

Ease-of-care: moderately difficult

This plant is easy to grow in the proper moist conditions. However, all species, with the exception of A. triplenervis send out stolons that can overrun the garden.

Height: 1 to 3 feet

(Anaphalis triplinervis) var. intermedia (also called A. nepalensis) is generally less than 1 foot tall.

Spread: 1 to 2 feet

(Anaphalis triplinervis) var. intermedia (also called A. nepalensis) has a spread of only about 6 inches.

Bloom time:

  • mid-summer
  • late summer
  • early fall

Flower color:

  • yellow
  • white

The plant's true flowers, which typically are yellow, are not its primary souce of interest. Rather, the plants are prized for their pearly white floral bracts.

Foliage color:

  • medium green
  • gray-green

Foliage texture: medium

Shape:

  • cushion, mound or clump
  • upright

The upright plants form cushions of foliage with time.

Shape in flower: flower stalks with upright spikes

The blooms are borne in small- to medium-sized clusters rising above the foliage.

Special Considerations
Special characteristics:
  • aggressive - All species, with the exception of A. triplenervis send out stolons that can overrun the garden.
  • non-invasive
  • not native to North America - Native to Asia.
Special uses:
  • cut flowers
  • dried flowers - The showy heads of pearly white floral bracts are dried for use in arrangements.
Growing Information
How to plant:

Propagate by seed, cuttings, division or separation - Division is the easiest method of propagation. Divide every 4 to 5 years in spring.

Sow seeds in pots in spring, transplant to garden when mature and weather permits.

Take basal or tip cuttings in spring and early summer.

Maintenance and care:
Keep soil moist but not soggy at all times. Foliage fades in dry soil. Remove dead leaves to keep looking neat.

Deadhead when flowers fade. Cut plants back severely if foliage becomes overdry. Allow the dead foliage to remain over the winter, cut back in spring.

More growing information: How to Grow Perennials

Diseases:
Stem rot
Rust
Septoria leaf spot
Varieties
Common pearly everlasting species include:


Common pearly everlasting (Anaphalis margaritacea var. cinnamomea) - White, woolly stems turn rust-colored. Leaves greenish with white hairs.

Japanese pearly everlasting (Anaphalis margaritacea var. yedoensis) - Foliage silver-edged, dark gray.

Three-veined everlasting (Anaphalis triplinervis) - 'Summer Snow' is a popular variety. var. intermedia (also called A. nepalensis) is a compact form but only hardy to Zone 5.