[Members of the Sunflower Family with Button-like Flower Heads: East of the Cascade Mountains of Oregon and Washington]

Pearly Everlasting, Western Pearly Everlasting

Anaphalis margaritacea

Synonyms: Anaphalis margaritacea var. angustior, Anaphalis margaritacea var. intercedens, Anaphalis margaritacea var. margaritacea, Anaphalis margaritacea var. occidentalis, Anaphalis margaritacea var. revoluta, Anaphalis margaritacea var. subalpina, Anaphalis occidentalis, Gnaphalium margaritaceum

The photo above shows a close-up view of the inflorescence of pearly-everlasting as seen at about 2800' at the southeastern corner of Mt. Adams............July 10, 2005.

Characteristics:

Pearly everlasting is an erect, rhizomatous perennial to 9 dm tall. The stems and leaves are loosely white-woolly. The leaves are mainly on the stems, entire margined, and lanceolate to narrowly oblong or linear in shape.

The flower heads are terminal, clustered in short, broad inflorescences. Individual flower heads are spherical, less than 1 cm wide, and papery. They are white with yellow centers.

In the garden, pearly everlastings can sometimes be a weedy species as they spread readily by underground rhizomes. When kept from wandering and kept in a tight cluster, it can make a nice garden flower.

Habitat:

Pearly everlastings are a plant of forest openings, from the lowlands to moderate elevations in the mountains. They may also be found in disturbed meadows and roadsides.

Range:

Pearly everlastings are a widespread species, found in eastern Asia, and over much of northern North America, as far south as North Carolina, Kansas, Arizona, and southern California.

Pearly everlastings as seen along the High Lake Trail, Strawberry Mountain Wilderness..........July 17, 2013.

Pearly everlastings as seen growing along the Roads End Trail #201A, Strawberry Mountain Wilderness..............August 18, 2011.

Paul Slichter