Antennaria parlinii

The soft leaves of Parlin's pussytoes make a silvery groundcover for sun or shade, where it quickly fills in empty space. It prefers well-drained areas and can handle dry, rocky, or sandy soils. Pussytoes are named after their unique spring blooms, which resemble a cat's paw.

This species is a host plant to the American lady butterfly, which has an uncanny ability to find it in the garden! Plant a few, so you have enough to feed the maroon-striped caterpillars when they appear.

Parlin's pussytoes is very similar to plantain-leaved pussytoes (Antennaria plantaginifolia), which is not native to Ohio, but is more common in the nursery trade. Parlin's pussytoes is our locally native broad-leaved pussytoes species.

Photo 1 © Craig Henlsey, CC BY 4.0. Photo 2 © Michelle W, CC BY 4.0. Photo 3 by Dave Tomashefski.