A. margaritacea grows erect up to about 90 centimetres (3 feet) tall,[6] with narrow, alternateleaves up to 12.5 cm (5 inches). The undersides of the leaves are densely covered in tiny hairs.[7] The stems are dry and brittle. The whitish to yellowish flower grows to about 6 millimetres (1⁄4 in) across[7] as part of acorymbinflorescence, the most conspicuous part of which is the numerous pearly whitebracts that surround thedisc florets.[8] It blooms between June and September.[7]
The plant isdioecious, meaning the pollen-producing (male) and seed-producing (female) flowers are borne on separate plants.[7]
Western pearly everlasting is sometimes grown by gardeners for its attractive foliage and modestly beautiful white blooms.[15] They prefer a well drained soil, somewhat sandy and dry and with less organic matter. At least part sun conditions, if not full sun, are required for them to grow successfully. They can become somewhat aggressive spreaders in optimal conditions.[16]
The flowering stems of western pearly everlasting can be dried and the fluffy flower heads are used in dried flower arrangements.[16] The leaves and young plants are edible when cooked.[17]
^Fagan, Damian (2019).Wildflowers of Oregon: A Field Guide to Over 400 Wildflowers, Trees, and Shrubs of the Coast, Cascades, and High Desert. Guilford, CT:FalconGuides. p. 27.ISBN978-1-4930-3633-2.OCLC1073035766.
^Kartesz, John T. (2014)."Anaphalis margaritacea".County-level distribution map from the North American Plant Atlas (NAPA). Biota of North America Program (BONAP).
^The Xerces Society (2016),Gardening for Butterflies: How You Can Attract and Protect Beautiful, Beneficial Insects, Timber Press.
^Barr, Claude A. (1983).Jewels of the plains : wild flowers of the Great Plains grasslands and hills. Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press. pp. 20–21.ISBN0-8166-1127-0.
Media related toAnaphalis margaritacea at Wikimedia Commons
Data related toAnaphalis margaritacea at Wikispecies