Pearly Everlasting Plant Sets

Bring timeless charm and ecological value to your garden with Pearly Everlasting (Anaphalis margaritacea)—a resilient, drought-tolerant native perennial known for its silvery foliage and pearly-white blooms. Topped with papery bracts that surround a yellow center, these distinctive flower heads bloom from mid- to late summer and retain their shape and color long after blooming—making them ideal for dried flower arrangements and late-season garden interest.

A favorite larval host plant for the American Lady (Vanessa virginiensis) and Painted Lady (Vanessa cardui) butterflies, Pearly Everlasting supports the full life cycle of these important pollinators while adding texture, form, and long-lasting beauty to your landscape. Its upright stems (1–3 feet tall) and woolly gray-green foliage form attractive clumps that thrive in full sun and poor, rocky, or sandy soils.

Why You’ll Love Pearly Everlasting:

• Long-Lasting Blooms: Papery white flower heads hold shape and color when dried
• Pollinator Support: Larval host for Painted Lady & American Lady butterflies
• Tough & Resilient: Thrives in dry, poor soils with little care
• Textural Foliage: Woolly, silver-gray leaves add contrast and softness to beds
• Multi-Season Beauty: Ornamental even in dormancy and through winter
• Pollinator-Safe: Grown non-GMO and free of harmful neonicotinoids, promoting a healthy ecosystem for pollinators and wildlife.

Available in sets of three, six, or 12 plants to create a pollinator-friendly habitat in your garden.

Planting Tips:

1. Location: Best in full sun but tolerates light shade. Prefers dry to medium, well-drained soils—tolerates sandy, rocky, or poor soil.
2. Watering: Water regularly during the first growing season; becomes drought-tolerant once established
3. Maintenance: Minimal care required. There's no need to deadhead the flowers, as allowing them to go to seed provides a valuable food source for birds. Leaving the stems standing in the fall offers overwintering sites for beneficial insects. If desired, cut back the stems in late spring after pollinators have emerged. 

For more information on planting, view our How to Plant Your Native Plants guide and other planting tips in the Garden for Wildlife Learning Center.

Add classic charm, pollinator power, and year-round texture to your space with Pearly Everlasting—a reliable favorite for gardeners and butterflies alike.