Plantain-Leaved Pussytoes (Antennaria plantaginifolia)

Difficulty: ⭐⭐⭐☆☆
(Moderate — seed heads are delicate and fluffy, requiring careful timing before wind dispersal)

Seed Collection Time:

Late spring to early summer — typically May through June

Signs Seeds are Ready:

• White, woolly flower heads turn grayish and begin to fluff

• Seeds (achenes) develop a tuft of silky hairs (pappus) for wind dispersal

• When gently pulled, mature seeds detach easily with pappus intact

• Heads begin to collapse or fray as they dry out

🐾 Tip: Female plants produce the viable seed — male plants bear similar flowers but do not set seed.

Seed Collection Steps:

1. Identify female plants with fluffy, fading flower heads

2. Snip or pinch seed heads as soon as fluff begins to show

3. Place in paper bags or breathable envelopes to finish drying

4. After 2–4 days, gently pull or shake out fluffy seeds

5. Separate seed from pappus using screens, tweezers, or still-air winnowing

Note: Wind dispersal is rapid — check plants frequently or cover with mesh bags if needed.

Germination Tips:

• Seeds are non-dormant and may germinate without stratification

• For better results, provide cold moist stratification for 30 days

• Sow on the surface — needs light to germinate

• Germination occurs in 1–3 weeks under moist, cool conditions

Note: Seedlings are tiny and slow-growing initially; patience is key.