Compare with Anaphalis margaritacea, Pearly Everlasting ???

yarrow?

No not yarrow - that's not native, has ferny leaves leaves and different flowers.

Thank you so much! Thats it. Anaphalis margaritacea. And!!! there are places that have it for sale, thats not always the case. I fell in head over heels in love with it when I pulled up the picture, doesn't hurt at all thats its silver which is a huge weakness of mine.

It grows all over the mountains here and does well with no water in the garden this far north. Quite a lovely thing with bees buzzing all over it every summer. It also grows easily from seed.

I checked out the range. No Oklahoma, Texas or the southeast. In NM , It grows in THE MOUNTAINS. It sounds like heat and humidity are not what it likes.

It does relatively ok with heat here in Portland, which is of course nothing like the broiler of the south, and we have 15-40% summer humidity with no rain. Even here, they really only show up at higher elevations.

They do OK here at low elevations. Flowers are white and papery, make good dried arrangements. Try partial shade at your location.

This is the native distribution according to the US Dept of Agriculture. I can't imagine a plant in the aster family being that difficult especially one as widespread as this. I read it likes sandy soil, that I've got, that it tolerates most conditions, drought tolerant and forms a "bushy mound of silver". Perfect. I'm staying positive and willing to gamble $2.50 for seeds from Prairie Moon.

The Texas map has one tiny county up in the panhandle. It might be a doubtful siting. NM. has it in the cool mountains of Cloudcroft and above Santa Fe and Taos.

I guess, I am just being contrarian. I swear, I am not trying to be. If you use the slider of to the right and then look around. It gives a different view that is not as prolific. That solid green gets moth-eaten into oblivion in the hot middle of the country. But hey, 2.50 is the right kind of gamble and if anyone can pull it off, you can.

Pearly everlasting grows and is hardy here in the snow-belt of NY State. I only find it only in full-sun with hot and dry locations - of course that is for us in this very moist and rather cool region. Nice plant.

FataMorgana

It grows wild here on Vancouver Island, mostly seen on gravelly roadsides where it's hot and dry, not saying we are hot and dry compared to you :).

Annette

I'm a bit confused concerning what the fuss is about over it being a mountain plant and that other stuff but I'm confident it will grow fine here. I think I've seen it in gardens here in the past, it looks very familiar. In any case, I checked it out -- widespread native distribution, drought tolerant, likes sandy soil, naturalizes easily, easy to grow etc etc. I grow several natives not indigenous to Oklahoma that do just fine. Info says it seeds freely and will naturalize an area if you let it, it'll fit right in on that score. I think it will look good with native grasses and Desert Marigolds (which are definitely not indigenous to Oklahoma) growing in sandy soil and full sun up front.

Thanks for all the information and ID

I guess you will find out if "Everlasting" can take EVERLASTING brutal heat.LOL. If you can do it , I might try some. But I will let you test the waters first. Maybe water is a bad word to use.

FYI - I would source the plant locally as much as possible for your Texas garden. Our northern pearly everlasting, while it will be the same species as yours, will be better adjusted to our cold and moist conditions while your local plants will be better adjusted to the heat and dryness. Same can be said for any plant with large native ranges.

FataMorgana

fatamorgana, I'm in Oklahoma, not Texas. I found two sources on google right off the bat (one is linked below) that includes Anaphalis margaritacea among good, hardy choices for hot, dry conditions. I found nothing about it being a mountain plant only. I have good drainage and sandy soil which makes for good, deep root growth that doesn't bake like a brick the way clay or Texas caliche does. Sorry but it seems to me that wantanamara is overreacting or something...whatever the case, this plant is described as easy to grow, widespread Great Plains native, seeds freely, can result in large massed areas. Oklahoma is part of the Great Plains.

plants tolerating up to 2 months extreme heat/drought

Plant them and enjoy them TR and then share them with your pal wantanamara if she likes them! I recall you two often sharing plants and/or seeds.

I wouldn't call it over reacting but reading between the lines for clues if it would work for me so just ignore me. It is a matter of habit. I am on baking caliche and highly pourous limestone on top of a ridge. It is a very different soil condition from Tr2. Oklahoma summer breaks a full month before mine and starts a bit later, (not much). I have a tendency to think we are similar but then I see that OKC is over 10F cooler than me today. Due to a shrinking water level in my tanks, I can't water. so I tend to be very cautious about my plant picks. This linked source of plants for hot dry conditions, is based on plants that can do 90F for 2 months. This year we have had above 90 for almost 6 months and .3 of an inch of water in the last 4 months. We are 90 today and 95 tomorrow and the day after. The AC is running . The source was written in Lancaster Pennsylvania which makes me leery (where I needed sweaters in June during last summer visit).