- Plant cat paws correctly
- care tips
- Which location is suitable?
- The right planting distance
- What soil does the plant need?
- Cut cat paws properly
- Water cat paws
- Fertilize cat paws properly
- hibernate
- Propagating cat paws
- Cat paws in the pot
- Is cat paw poisonous?
- Beautiful varieties
Its dainty flowers are reminiscent of a cat's paws, leaving countless pink or white tracks in the bed. Supplemented with shimmering silver foliage, Antennaria conjure up dense soil cushions in all sunny, lime-poor locations in the garden. The following answers to frequently asked questions convey how the sympathetic flower is cultivated.
Antennaria prefers full sun locations
Table of Contents
Show all- Plant cat paws correctly
- care tips
- Which location is suitable?
- The right planting distance
- What soil does the plant need?
- Cut cat paws properly
- Water cat paws
- Fertilize cat paws properly
- hibernate
- Propagating cat paws
- Cat paws in the pot
- Is cat paw poisonous?
- Beautiful varieties
- Only water the flower with soft rainwater when it is dry
- Fertilizing is not necessary
- Cut off wilted flowers to just above the silvery foliage
- Complete pruning in February/March
- Cover the tub with bubble wrap or decorative, colorful jute ribbons before winter begins
- Place on a block of wood or Styrofoam in front of the south wall of the house
- Cover the substrate with wood shavings, peat moss or autumn leaves
- Cut off rooted runners after flowering and plant
- Dig up and divide the root ball in autumn or spring
- Sow the fine seeds behind glass from March; at 20 degrees Celsius, germination begins within 2 weeks
- Water only when the soil has dried to a depth of 2 cm
- Cut off wilted flower stalks to just above the foliage
- No fertilizing is required when repotted into fresh substrate every year
- Red wonder: Umbrella panicles formed from dark red flower heads rise above shimmering silver foliage; 5-15cm
- Woolly Cat's Paw: Forms dense ground cushions with woolly-white hairy foliage beneath white flowers; 5-10cm
- Rubra: Warmth-loving top variety that draws attention to itself with red-silver flowers and green-silver leaves; 3-10cm
- Borealis: Abundantly flowering Antennaria, whose delicate pink flowers appear tinged with white; 5-10cm
Plant cat paws correctly
Preferably plant Antennaria between August and October so that the plant starts its first gardening season with a vigorous head start. Since a single cat's paw looks so lost in the bed, create 3-5 planting holes 20 cm apart. The excavated soil is enriched with a little compost and horn shavings (32.93€). Place a potted root ball in the middle and fill in the gaps with substrate up to just below the first pair of leaves. Pressing down the soil and watering with soft water professionally round off the planting process.
care tips
As the following care regimen reveals, Antennaria require little attention from the gardener:
No explicit winter protection is required in the bed. If the plant thrives in a pot or window box, wrap the container in foil or jute and place it on wood in front of the south wall of the house.
Which location is suitable?
Its floral lightness already signals the friendly flower's expectations of the location. It should be sunny, warm and protected there. Partial shade is well tolerated, but results in a less magnificent bloom. An airy, loose, fresh to moderately dry soil is good for Antennaria, which ideally is low in lime.
The right planting distance
Typical of a ground cover plant, antennaria grow more than twice in width than in height. With a maximum growth height of 10 cm, this means a growth width of 20-23 cm. So that the flower develops a dense carpet of blossoms, you are exactly right with a planting distance of 20 cm.
What soil does the plant need?
This charming plant likes to stretch out its roots in fresh, moist to sandy-dry soil, as long as there is little or no lime in it. First-class permeability is also a key criterion for successful cultivation. For a pot plant, we therefore recommend rhododendron earth as a substrate, which is enriched with a handful of lava granules (€13.99) or perlite.
Cut cat paws properly
The robust, hardy cushion perennial requires no pruning. If the withered inflorescences affect the visual appearance of the garden, there is nothing to be said against cutting them just above the decorative foliage. In early spring, cutting back close to the ground clears the way for this year's budding. Cut off the prettiest flower stalks when they are about to fully bloom and dry them in an airy place. As a dry bouquet, they exude a pleasant scent in the house in autumn and winter.
Water cat paws
Under normal weather conditions, the natural rainfall covers the water requirement. If summer comes with longer periods of drought, water the flower from time to time. In the early morning, pour collected rainwater or decalcified tap water directly onto the roots using a watering can. On the other hand, if Antennaria thrive in a planter, there is a need for regular watering, as the substrate dries out quickly. Check the soil every 2-3 days to water with soft water when the surface has dried.
Fertilize cat paws properly
The undemanding plant favors a light, nutrient-poor soil. The administration of fertilizer is therefore not necessary. If you repot Antennaria in a bucket or balcony box every year in pre-fertilized substrate, the supplementary nutrient supply is also unnecessary here. If symptoms of deficiency occur, such as stunted growth or fading colors, administer a commercially available liquid fertilizer in a diluted concentration.
hibernate
Behind her graceful appearance lies a hardy constitution. Antennaria easily tolerate temperatures down to -28.8 degrees Celsius. In the bed, therefore, no measures for overwintering are to be taken. If the flower thrives in the planter, however, the following precautions must be taken so that the root ball does not freeze:
Carry containers with a diameter of less than 30 cm to a frost-free, bright winter quarters. Despite the protective measures mentioned, the low substrate volume is not able to protect the plant from damage.
Propagating cat paws
Antennaria once again prove their uncomplicated nature in relation to reproduction. To introduce additional specimens to other locations in the garden, choose from one of the following methods:
Direct sowing is also possible, but with lower chances of success. In contrast to cultivation on the window sill, the outdoor seedbed is subject to the adverse effects of the weather, pecking birds and voracious pests.
Cat paws in the pot
As a solitaire or underplanting, Antennaria in pots set shimmering accents on the sunny balcony and the light-flooded terrace. Ideally, choose moor bed or rhododendron soil as a substrate, optimized with lava granules or expanded clay.(19.73€) A curved piece of clay above the water outlet prevents life-threatening waterlogging. This is how the maintenance proceeds in a regulated way:
Before the first frost, take the small pot to a bright winter quarters. Larger tubs are placed on wood in front of the protective south wall of the house and covered with bubble wrap.
Is cat paw poisonous?
Just looking at the botanical assignment to the daisy family gives the all-clear regarding a poison content. Antennaria does not pose any health risk, neither for humans nor for animals. On the contrary, the plant was used in ancient times as a medicinal plant against snake bites or bronchitis.