Mouse Ear Antennaria plantaginifolia
Other Common Name(s):
- Phonetic Spelling
- an-ten-AIR-ee-uh plan-tah-JIN-ih-foh-lee-uh
- Description
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Plantain pussytoes is a herbaceous perennial ground cover in the aster (Asteraceae) family. that is native to eastern USA including NC. It is short, growing only 6 inches tall and spreads 1-2 feet wide. The plant forms stolons that take root a short distance from the mother plant making it useful as a groundcover.
The Genus name comes from the Latin word antenna because the male flowers look like antennae. Specific epithet means having leaves like plantain.
The plant consists of a basal rosette of leaves and an erect stem bearing the flowers. It does best planted in full sun to part shade in lean, dry rocky or sandy soil with little organic matter. It suffers in soils too rich in organic matter or that drain poorly.
In the spring, a central stem develops from the basal leaves. At the apex of the central stem is a small cluster of about 3 to 6 male or female flowerheads. The blooms occur mid-to-late spring, lasting about 2-3 weeks. It is followed by achenes that have short white hairs. This stem then dies down in summer leaving the rosette of basal leaves.
Use this plant at the border front, around shrubs or trees or in small spaces as a ground cover. Attracts pollinators.
Diseases, Insect Pests, and Other Plant Problems: No significant problem, though it can be challenging to grow if soil conditions are not met. The semi-evergreen basal leaves often become discolored and withered with age.
- See this plant in the following landscape:
- Pinehurst Greenway Pollinator Habitat Garden, Moore County
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- Tags:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- Tags:
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Attributes:
- Genus:
- Antennaria
- Species:
- plantaginifolia
- Family:
- Asteraceae
- Uses (Ethnobotany):
- In North America, the plant was nominally called "Indian tobacco," as it was often chewed by children in place of real tobacco
- Life Cycle:
- Perennial
- Recommended Propagation Strategy:
- Division
- Seed
- Country Or Region Of Origin:
- Eastern Canada to Eastern United States
- Distribution:
- North America
- Wildlife Value:
- This plant supports American Lady (Vanessa virginiensis) larvae which appear from May to November. In the deep south they will appear all year long. American Lady butterflies feed on flower nectar almost exclusively.
- Play Value:
- Attracts Pollinators
- Wildlife Larval Host
- Particularly Resistant To (Insects/Diseases/Other Problems):
- Likes rocky, dry, lean soils, & little organic matter soils; No major insect or disease problem
- Dimensions:
- Height: 0 ft. 4 in. - 0 ft. 6 in.
- Width: 1 ft. 0 in. - 2 ft. 0 in.
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Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Ground Cover
- Native Plant
- Perennial
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Semi-evergreen
- Habit/Form:
- Creeping
- Dense
- Spreading
- Growth Rate:
- Medium
- Maintenance:
- Low
- Texture:
- Fine
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Cultural Conditions:
- Light:
- Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
- Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
- Soil Texture:
- Clay
- Sand
- Shallow Rocky
- Soil pH:
- Acid (<6.0)
- Neutral (6.0-8.0)
- Soil Drainage:
- Good Drainage
- Moist
- Occasionally Dry
- NC Region:
- Coastal
- Mountains
- Piedmont
- USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
- 3a, 3b, 4a, 4b, 5a, 5b, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b
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Fruit:
- Fruit Color:
- Brown/Copper
- Display/Harvest Time:
- Spring
- Summer
- Fruit Type:
- Achene
- Fruit Length:
- < 1 inch
- Fruit Width:
- < 1 inch
- Fruit Description:
- Fruit displays from April to June. The achene has white resinous dots, and tufts of white hair. They are distributed by the wind.
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Flowers:
- Flower Color:
- Brown/Copper
- Green
- White
- Flower Inflorescence:
- Corymb
- Flower Value To Gardener:
- Good Dried
- Flower Bloom Time:
- Spring
- Flower Shape:
- Tubular
- Flower Size:
- < 1 inch
- Flower Description:
- Flowers appear in clusters at the end of stems. They are either male or female flowers. Flowerheads are about 1/2 inch long and wide and have green hairy bracts at the bases. Female flowers have numerous thread-like fluffy white styles at the top while male flowers occur in rounded heads with white flowers that have a brown stamens protruding from the center. Flowering is early to late spring.
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Leaves:
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Semi-evergreen
- Leaf Color:
- Gray/Silver
- Green
- Leaf Feel:
- Rough
- Leaf Type:
- Simple
- Leaf Arrangement:
- Alternate
- Whorled
- Leaf Shape:
- Oblong
- Leaf Margin:
- Entire
- Hairs Present:
- Yes
- Leaf Length:
- 3-6 inches
- Leaf Width:
- 1-3 inches
- Leaf Description:
- Leaves are woolly gray-green and resemble a plantain plant. The basal leaves are up to 3½ inches long and 2 inches across. They have smooth margins and are on long petioles. Mature basal leaves have 3 to 5 conspicuous veins. The undersides are densely hairy. The stem leaves are smaller, being 1.5 inches long and clasp the stem. They tend to be more hairy than the basal leaves.
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Stem:
- Stem Color:
- Gray/Silver
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
- Stem Surface:
- Hairy (pubescent)
- Stem Description:
- The central stem is densely covered with appressed white hairs along its length
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Landscape:
- Landscape Location:
- Naturalized Area
- Walkways
- Landscape Theme:
- Butterfly Garden
- Native Garden
- Pollinator Garden
- Design Feature:
- Border
- Mass Planting
- Attracts:
- Bees
- Butterflies
- Pollinators
- Small Mammals
- Songbirds
- Resistance To Challenges:
- Diseases
- Drought
- Dry Soil
- Insect Pests
- Poor Soil
