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 – Anaphalis triplinervis var. intermedia – This native to the Eastern Himalayas is low growing clump forming perennial reaching 12” tall and 6” wide.  It produces narrow lance shaped gray-green leaves 2-4” long with woolly white undersides with 3 prominent veins.  In late summer and early autumn on weak stems it carries small terminal solitary to several yellow flower heads with papery white bracts and yellow centers. Zones 5-9