Antennary belongs to the Asteraceae family. Area of growth: mountainous regions of Europe, Asia, South and North America. Inflorescences have a soft and fluffy texture. The shape resembles the track left by a cat, which is why flower lovers called this unusual plant a cat's paw. The flowering period in the summer and lasts 1-2 months, after which smooth fruit seeds are formed, 1 mm long. Ripening occurs even in the cool summer and in regions with low temperatures.
Antennary Description
Antennaries - herbaceous plants or shrubs, perennials with a thin root system, shoots take root easily. The basal leaves are neatly collected, their shape is diverse: from lanceolate to scapular. Silver fluff covers the leaves and stems of the plant, it helps to preserve moisture. In the summer, peduncles grow from neatly collected leaves. The flowers themselves are usually small in size, have white, red or pink color, gather in baskets, and they are in inflorescences. The plant has useful properties and is used for medical purposes. For example, with inflammation, pain and bleeding, teas and tinctures are brewed.
Types of antennaria
The genus of the plant unites over 60 different species, differing in appearance, size, flowering. The table shows the most popular ones.
| View | Description /Height (cm) | Inflorescences /Bloom |
| Alpine | Dwarf form. Thick fluffy cover. Leaf plates have a silver-gray color. More than 5 cm. | At the beginning of the warm season they grow 15 cm long. June August. |
| Dioecious | They have a less thick cover, they retain foliage for the entire winter period. 15-25 cm. | Pink or red tint May June. |
| Plantain leaf | It looks like a plantain, for this he received such a name. The foliage densely covers the shoots. It has a huge advantage - it grows even on unprepared soil, it requires minimal maintenance. About 40 cm. | Larger than previously considered species. Petals are dirty pink or white. Since the beginning of April. |
| Carpathian | Bush. Cover with gray leaves, but the peduncles do not. Up to 20 cm | Open with small pink petals. |
| Common | Small with greenish-ash leaves. 1 cm | Snow-white, with a delicate blush or variegated. June July. |
| Solar (large-leaved) | With silvery large leaf plates. 15 cm | White. |
Varieties of Antennas dioecious:
| Grade | Description | Inflorescences |
| Alex Dugid | Bushes grow low, frost-resistant, can be used as a lawn on sandy soil. It does not tolerate humidity. | Red or purple. June July. |
| Alba | Dwarf solid and fluffy bushes. For flowering, an abundance of sunlight is needed. | White and pink. |
| Minima | Small no more than 5 cm. | With a bright blush. |
Growing and caring for aerials
Growing antennaria is simple, even a novice gardener will cope.
Antenaria breeding methods
To obtain a new plant, several methods of reproduction are used: vegetative methods (rooting of shoots, division of rhizomes, division of a bush) and seeds.
For growing seeds, mix them with sand and sift them into a container under the glass. Very small shoots sprout for a long time and slowly develop. After a while, only the strongest of them are left. As soon as the first sheets appear, they are separated into a separate container. In summer, seedlings are planted at intervals of 20-30 cm, the antennae emerges quite quickly, the first flowering is expected in about 1 year. Rooted shoots are planted at the end of the summer season, leaving a distance of 20-30 cm between them and scattering stone crumbs or gravel over the soil.
The most suitable time for propagation by dividing the bush is the beginning of spring. For this, the plant is dug up and divided into several parts. Antenaria blooms for next season.
For propagation by layers, the creeping shoot of the outlet, on which there are aerial roots, is separated. This method can be used throughout the entire vegetative translation. Its advantages are that layering builds up branches for a rather short time.
Open ground antennae conditions
You should read the recommendations.
| Factor | Conditions |
| Location / Lighting | Poor perceives abundant humidity - lowlands and drains should be avoided. Use drainage to drain water after melting snow and rain. The plant loves abundant sunlight, but the most sun-heated places are not suitable. |
| The soil | Not demanding on the soil. A sandy, porous, lightweight structure is suitable. It is advisable if the soil is slightly acidic. To do this, you can add garden sulfur, citric or phosphoric acid and dig up the earth to a shallow depth. |
| Watering / Loosening | In the summer, during high temperatures, humidification is required once a week, avoiding overflow, since the root system is close to the surface of the earth. In general, the plant calmly tolerates aridity and continues to grow and develop. Loosening is required in the first months after planting, then the bushes grow together and form a homogeneous carpet. |
| Top dressing | Granular fertilizer is scattered on the borehole surface. There is a certain complex: in March-April, nitrogen fertilizers are used, phosphorus is used to form buds, and potash ones are suitable in late August and early September. |
Antenaria wintering
The cat's foot calmly tolerates frosts, and some of its species even remain green.
Pest and Disease Control
Antennaria is not susceptible to disease, but it is harmful to soil saturated with trace elements and high humidity.
| Pest | Way to fight |
| Aphid | Infusion of nettle, ash or tobacco. |
| Spider mite | With extreme caution use acaricides or insectoacaricides that are harmful to human health. |
| Nematodes and caterpillars scoop | Potash fertilizers. |
