Antennaria media
Alpine pussytoes
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Family: Asteraceae · Type: Herb · Native
Antennaria media (Alpine pussytoes) is a native California herb in the Asteraceae family, recognized by dark phyllaries and matted stoloniferous habit.
Alpine pussytoes is a California native perennial found in the Klamath Ranges, northern Coast Ranges, high Cascade Range, Sierra Nevada, San Bernardino Mountains, and White and Inyo Mountains in alpine meadows, snow basins, and mountain ridges at elevations of 1,800 to 3,900 meters. Flowering from July to August, this plant produces white flowers in small clusters of 2 to 7 heads. Growing with compact stems 5 to 13 centimeters tall, it forms extensive mats through numerous spreading stolons. Its basal leaves are densely gray-woolly, linear to spoon-shaped, ranging from 6 to 19 millimeters long, while cauline leaves are narrow and linear. The plant's distinctive phyllaries are narrow and pointed in pistillate flowers, with dark brown or black tips that contrast against the plant's soft, gray foliage.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 16 sympatric species - dark phyllaries and matted stoloniferous habit
Habitat and range
Habitat: Meadows, snow basins, ridges
Elevation: 1800-3900 m
Outside California: to Alaska, northwestern Canada, Montana, New Mexico
Bloom period
Antennaria media blooms Jul-Aug.
How to tell it apart
vs Pseudognaphalium: Antennaria forms low cushions with persistent basal rosettes; Pseudognaphalium grows erect to 200 cm without basal rosettes.; vs Eriogonum: Antennaria has papery-bracted flower heads in the Asteraceae; Eriogonum has showy flowers with papery bracts in the buckwheat family.; vs Anaphalis: Antennaria maintains its basal leaf rosette during flowering; Anaphalis has withered basal leaves with longer, uniform stem leaves.; vs Centaurea: Antennaria has tiny woolly heads (3-9mm) in low cushions; Centaurea has much larger flower heads (15-40mm) on tall stems.; vs Petrophytum: Antennaria has papery-bracted flower heads; Petrophytum has dense spikes of small rose-family flowers with 5 separate petals.
Frequently asked questions
Is Antennaria media native to California?
Yes. Antennaria media is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Antennaria media bloom?
Antennaria media blooms Jul-Aug.
What plant family does Antennaria media belong to?
Antennaria media is in the Asteraceae family, genus Antennaria.
What habitat does Antennaria media grow in?
Antennaria media grows in Meadows, snow basins, ridges.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
Sources: Jepson eFlora · Index of California Plant Names · CalPhotos
Last updated 2026-10-07
Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Cal-IPC, and more.