Provides food for American painted lady butterflies (Vanessa virginiensis: http://bugguide.net/node/view/..., http://www.butterfliesandmoths...). They lay tiny white eggs on the leaves in spring. The caterpillars hatch and build tents or shelters by stretching silk between the leaves to try to protect themselves from predators. The pussytoes may have most of their leaves eaten, but they usually survive and send out hundreds of new leaves after the caterpillars are gone.

I must have too many wasps in my yard, since I don't see many caterpillars survive to create a chrysalis and transform into a butterfly. It might help if I limited the numbers of flowers that attract wasps, like Spotted Beebalm (Monarda punctata) and Virginia Mountain Mint (Pycnanthemum virginianum). I've seen wasps poking their abdomens into the pussytoes leaves, presumably to lay eggs on the caterpillars.

I think this is the largest-leaved pussytoes species. It seems to prefer moister soils than garden.org/plants/view/79953/, and tolerates a little more shade. I grow it between taller plants in a (rather dry) rain garden.

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This native wildflower grows best in lean, gritty, dry to medium moisture, well-drained soils. Prefers full sun. It does not do well in fertile soils with lots of humus, particularly if drainage is poor.

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For best results (if planting more than one of these plants), space each one at least 1 and a half feet apart from each other.
Landscape uses:
Pussy-toes spread rapidly in a rock garden, where their foliage remains attractive after the plants have flowered.

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