Pearly Everlasting

Pearly Everlasting (Anaphalis margaritacea)
Pearly Everlasting is a tough, drought-tolerant native perennial valued for its silvery foliage, papery white flower heads, and exceptional wildlife benefits. Common across dry fields and open woods throughout much of North America, this plant is a keystone nectar source for pollinators and a crucial host plant for native butterfly larvae. It blooms for weeks in midsummer and is often used in ecological plantings, dry meadows, and naturalistic borders.

Key Characteristics

• Larval Host Plant for American Painted Lady Butterfly
  Pearly Everlasting is one of the primary host plants for the American Painted Lady (Vanessa virginiensis), whose caterpillars feed on its foliage and create small leaf tents. It plays an essential role in supporting this native butterfly’s life cycle.

• Long-Blooming and Excellent for Dried Flowers
  Blooming from June through August, the small, white, pearl-like flowers cluster at the top of upright stems. They retain their shape and color when dried, making them a favorite for everlasting bouquets and herbal crafts.

• Tough and Drought-Tolerant
  This plant thrives in dry, sandy, or rocky soils where other natives may struggle. It’s excellent for xeriscaping, pollinator gardens, and restoration sites with poor or disturbed soils. Once established, it requires little water or maintenance.

• Pollinator Favorite in Open Landscapes
  Its long bloom window attracts bees, butterflies, and other beneficial insects during a midsummer nectar gap. It’s particularly effective in succession planting when paired with earlier- and later-blooming species to support season-long pollinator health.

• Excellent in Meadows, Borders & Food Forest Edges
  Pearly Everlasting integrates beautifully into dry meadows, native borders, and food forest margins, where it contributes to insect shelter, biodiversity layering, and perennial structure in regenerative plantings.

Product Details

• Native Range: Widespread across North America
• Plant Life Cycle: Perennial
• Sun Requirements: Full sun to part shade
• Soil Requirements: Dry to medium; well-drained, sandy or rocky soils preferred
• Mature Height: 1.5–3 feet
• Bloom Time: June–August
• Bloom Color: White, with yellow centers
• USDA Hardiness Zones: 3–8

Sow in fall or cold stratify before spring planting. Pearly Everlasting is easy to establish, spreads slowly by rhizomes, and adds both visual and ecological richness to sunny, well-drained plantings. An excellent companion for other dry prairie natives and butterfly-supportive species.