Dwarf Pussytoes

Other Names: Pussy Toes, Pussy-Toes

Description:

Attractive wooly, silver foliage is perfect for dry, sunny locations, provides food for native butterflies and bees; half the size of standard pussytoes, this is an excellent groundcover for xeriscapes

Ornamental Features:

Dwarf Pussytoes's attractive tiny tomentose narrow leaves remain grayish green in colour throughout the year. It features tiny balls of pink flowers at the ends of the stems from late spring to early summer. The fruit is not ornamentally significant.

Landscape Attributes:

Dwarf Pussytoes is a dense herbaceous evergreen perennial with a ground-hugging habit of growth. It brings an extremely fine and delicate texture to the garden composition and should be used to full effect.

This is a relatively low maintenance perennial, and should not require much pruning, except when necessary, such as to remove dieback. Deer don't particularly care for this plant and will usually leave it alone in favor of tastier treats. It has no significant negative characteristics.

Dwarf Pussytoes is recommended for the following landscape applications;

• Rock/Alpine Gardens
• Mass Planting
• Naturalizing And Woodland Gardens
• General Garden Use
• Border Edging
• Groundcover

Plant Characteristics:

Dwarf Pussytoes will grow to be only 1 inch tall at maturity extending to 2 inches tall with the flowers, with a spread of 12 inches. Its foliage tends to remain low and dense right to the ground. It grows at a slow rate, and under ideal conditions can be expected to live for approximately 5 years.

This perennial should only be grown in full sunlight. It prefers dry to average moisture levels with very well-drained soil, and will often die in standing water. It is considered to be drought-tolerant, and thus makes an ideal choice for a low-water garden or xeriscape application. It is not particular as to soil pH, but grows best in poor soils. It is highly tolerant of urban pollution and will even thrive in inner city environments. This plant can be propagated by division.

This is a selection of a native North American species.