1. Macoun’s Cudweed/Everlasting – Pseudognaphalium macounii
(soo-doh-naf-FAY-lee-um ma-KOWN-ee-eye)
Family: Asteraceae (Sunflower Family)
Native to: Much of North America from PA to CA & north to Canada; open habitats, pastures, open
woods or edges, roadsides, often with native grasses and annual wildflowers.
annual/biennial wildflower mature height: 1-3 ft. mature width: 1-3 ft.
Medium-sized annual (often biennial in our climate) with sweetly fragrant foliage. Generally upright,
but may be sprawling. Leaves medium green to gray-green above, wooly-white beneath. Leaves
lance-shaped, attached to stem for a distance. Looks like other everlastings.
Growth characteristics:
Blooms mostly in summer (July to Sept.). Flowers heads are typical for
everlastings with yellow-white flowers. Although flower heads are small, they are numerous and held
on flowering stalks above the foliage – so are somewhat showy. Make nice – and long lasting- cut
flowers (hence the name ‘Everlasting’).
Blooms/fruits:
Uses in the garden: Often grown as a medicinal plant – used as a cold, stomach-ache remedy.
Great plant for native habitat gardens (see below). Flowers used for cut flowers. Good addition to
native prairies with local native grasses & wildflowers such as Purple Clarkia, Globe Gilia, CA Poppy.
Sensible substitute for: Non-native Everlastings.
Attracts:
insects.
Excellent all-round habitat plant. The nectar attracts many types of native pollinator
Birds eat the seeds and may use plant parts in nest building.
Requirements:
Element
Sun
Soil
Water
Fertilizer
Other
Requirement
Full sun best
Just about any local soil
Good winter/spring rains; no extra water after flowering (Zone 1)
None needed
Fairly east – treat like any other annual wildflower. May reseed on bare ground or
with gravel mulch.
Management:
Propagation: from seed: sow in prepared beds, winter/spring.
Plant/seed sources (see list for source numbers): 1, 10, 13, 16, 20
12/12/10
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