• Photo of Pseudognaphalium obtusifolium (Pseudognaphalium obtusifoliums)

Plant Profile: Pseudognaphalium obtusifolium

Taxonomy: Pseudognaphalium obtusifolium

Names

Cudweed, Fragrant Cudweed, Fragrant Rabbit Tobacco, Rabbit Tobacco, Sweet Everlasting

  • Photo of Pseudognaphalium obtusifolium (Pseudognaphalium obtusifoliums)

Phonetic Spelling:soo-doh-naf-FAY-lee-um ob-too-sih-FOH-lee-um

Genus:Pseudognaphalium

Species:obtusifolium

Family:Asteracaeae

Sweet Everlasting is a plant that can be classified as either a summer annual or a biennial, belonging to the daisy family. It features silvery-green stems and leaves, with the undersides of the leaves, stems, and bract bases adorned with a thick layer of white, woolly hairs. The plant has a fibrous root system and reproduces through self-seeding. Its slender, elliptical leaves emit a pleasant aroma when crushed. Typically, you can find this plant thriving in various environments such as open spaces, woodlands, coastal dunes, sandy pinelands, along roadsides, and in areas that have been disturbed.

Pseudognaphalium obtusifolium Feature Summary

Pseudognaphalium obtusifolium Image Gallery

Tags

#fragrant
#full sun tolerant
#weed
#wildlife plant
#fragrant leaves
#tubular flowers
#low maintenance
#specialized bees
#NC native
#wild turkeys
#deer browsing plant
#naturalizes
#wind dispersed seeds
#self-seeding
#disturbed areas
#pollinator plant
#wildflower garden
#larval host plant
#predatory insects
#food source fall
#late summer flowers
#food source herbage
#sandy soils tolerant
#butterfly friendly
#early fall flowers
#partial shade tolerant
#pollinator garden
#roadside
#audubon
#meadows
#american lady butterfly

Similar Plants

Pseudognaphalium obtusifolium is often confused with:

Pseudognaphalium obtusifolium Feature Summary

Attributes
Has been used in traditional medicine to treat colds, fevers and sore throats.
East Canada to U.S.A
Alberta east to Nova Scotia, south to Florida, west to Texas, and north to Nebraska and Minnesota.
This plant supports American Lady (Vanessa virginiensis) larvae. The American Lady has flights throughout the whole year in the Deep South as well as South Texas, but have 3-4 broods in most areas which occur from May through November. Short-tongued bees, wasps, and flies. Wild turkey and deer browse the foliage.
Annual
Biennial
Fruit
Brown bullet shaped achene with tufts of white hairs displays from September to December and are distributed by wind.
Brown/Copper
Flowers
Branching panicle of corymbs of yellow or brown buds that emerge to white tubular flower heads on 1-2 ft. stem. Flowers are 1/4". Blooms from late summer to early fall, August to November.
< 1 inch
Leaves
Rosette of leaves at the base alternate leaves ascend the stem 3" long and 1/3" wide smooth to slightly undulate margins with prominent central vein. Upper surface of leaf is green with a few hairs and the underside is covered in silvery wooly hairy. Leaves give off maple syrup smell when crushed.
Green
Gray/Silver
Alternate
Rosulate
Elliptical
Linear
Lanceolate
Oblanceolate
Entire
Undulate
1-3 inches
Velvety
< 1 inch
Stem
Stems almost white with silvery soft hairs.
Green
Gray/Silver
White
Hairy (pubescent)
Whole Plant Traits
Native Plant
Wildflower
Medium
Cultural Conditions
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
Good Drainage
Moist
Occasionally Dry
Coastal
Mountains
Piedmont
4a
4b
5b
5a
6a
6b
7a
7b
8b
8a
3a
3b
9a
9b
10a
10b
Landscape
Butterfly Garden
Pollinator Garden
Garden for the Blind
Meadow
Naturalized Area
Butterflies
Pollinators
Bees
Specialized Bees
Predatory Insects

Pseudognaphalium obtusifolium Attributes

Pseudognaphalium obtusifolium: Uses (Ethnobotany)

Has been used in traditional medicine to treat colds, fevers and sore throats.

Pseudognaphalium obtusifolium: Country Or Region Of Origin

East Canada to U.S.A

Pseudognaphalium obtusifolium: Distribution

Alberta east to Nova Scotia, south to Florida, west to Texas, and north to Nebraska and Minnesota.

Pseudognaphalium obtusifolium: Wildlife Value

This plant supports American Lady (Vanessa virginiensis) larvae. The American Lady has flights throughout the whole year in the Deep South as well as South Texas, but have 3-4 broods in most areas which occur from May through November. Short-tongued bees, wasps, and flies. Wild turkey and deer browse the foliage.

Pseudognaphalium obtusifolium: Life Cycle

Annual
Biennial
Bulb
Perennial
Woody

Pseudognaphalium obtusifolium: Recommended Propagation Strategy

Division
Grafting
Layering
Leaf Cutting
Root Cutting
Seed
Stem Cutting

Pseudognaphalium obtusifolium Fruit

Pseudognaphalium obtusifolium: Fruit Description

Brown bullet shaped achene with tufts of white hairs displays from September to December and are distributed by wind.

Pseudognaphalium obtusifolium: Fruit Type

Achene
Aggregate
Berry
Capsule
Caryopsis
Drupe
Follicle
Legume
Nut
Pome
Samara
Schizocarp
Siliqua

Pseudognaphalium obtusifolium: Fruit Color

grass
Brown/Copper

Pseudognaphalium obtusifolium: Display/Harvest Time

Fall
Spring
Summer
Winter

Pseudognaphalium obtusifolium Flowers

Pseudognaphalium obtusifolium: Flower Description

Branching panicle of corymbs of yellow or brown buds that emerge to white tubular flower heads on 1-2 ft. stem. Flowers are 1/4". Blooms from late summer to early fall, August to November.

Pseudognaphalium obtusifolium: Flower Color

filter_vintage
White

Pseudognaphalium obtusifolium: Flower Inflorescence

Catkin
Corymb
Cyme
Head
Insignificant
Panicle
Raceme
Solitary
Spadix
Spike
Umbel

Pseudognaphalium obtusifolium: Flower Value To Gardener

Edible
Fragrant
Good Cut
Good Dried
Long Bloom Season
Long-lasting
Showy

Pseudognaphalium obtusifolium: Flower Bloom Time

Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall

Pseudognaphalium obtusifolium: Flower Petals

2-3 rays/petals
4-5 petals/rays
6 petals/rays
7 - 20 petals/rays
asymmetrical petals
Bracts
Colored Sepals
fused petals
more than 20 petals/rays
Tepals

Pseudognaphalium obtusifolium: Flower Shape

Bell
Cross
Crown
Cup
Dome
Funnel
Irregular
Lipped
Radial
Saucer
Star
Trumpet
Tubular
Urn
Wheel

Pseudognaphalium obtusifolium: Flower Size

1-3 inches
3-6 inches
< 1 inch
> 6 inches

Pseudognaphalium obtusifolium Leaves

Pseudognaphalium obtusifolium: Leaf Description

Rosette of leaves at the base alternate leaves ascend the stem 3" long and 1/3" wide smooth to slightly undulate margins with prominent central vein. Upper surface of leaf is green with a few hairs and the underside is covered in silvery wooly hairy. Leaves give off maple syrup smell when crushed.

Pseudognaphalium obtusifolium: Leaf Color

spa
Gray/Silver
spa
Green

Pseudognaphalium obtusifolium: Leaf Type

Compound (Pinnately , Bipinnately, Palmately)
Fronds
Needles
Sheath
Simple

Pseudognaphalium obtusifolium: Leaf Arrangement

Alternate
Opposite
Other/more complex
Rosulate
Whorled

Pseudognaphalium obtusifolium: Leaf Shape

Acicular
Auriculate
Cordate
Cuneate
Deltoid
Elliptical
Filiform
Lanceolate
Linear
Oblanceolate
Oblong
Obovate
Obtuse
Orbicular
Ovate
Palmasect
Palmatifid
Peltate
Pinnatifid
Pinnatisect
Reniform
Rhomboidal
Spatulate
Subcordate
Subulate

Pseudognaphalium obtusifolium: Leaf Margin

Crenate
Crenulate
Dentate
Denticulate
Doubly Crenate
Doubly Dentate
Doubly Serrate
Entire
Lobed
Serrate
Sinuate
Undulate

Pseudognaphalium obtusifolium: Hairs Present

No
Yes

Pseudognaphalium obtusifolium: Leaf Length

< 1 inch
1-3 inches
3-6 inches
> 6 inches

Pseudognaphalium obtusifolium: Leaf Feel

Fleshy
Glossy
Leathery
Papery
Prickly
Rough
Rubbery
Slippery
Smooth
Soft
Velvety
Waxy

Pseudognaphalium obtusifolium: Leaf Value To Gardener

Edible
Fragrant
Good Cut
Good Dried
Long-lasting
Showy

Pseudognaphalium obtusifolium: Leaf Width

< 1 inch
1-3 inches
3-6 inches
> 6 inches

Pseudognaphalium obtusifolium Stem

Pseudognaphalium obtusifolium: Stem Description

Stems almost white with silvery soft hairs.

Pseudognaphalium obtusifolium: Stem Color

grass
Gray/Silver
grass
Green
grass
White

Pseudognaphalium obtusifolium: Stem Is Aromatic

No
Yes

Pseudognaphalium obtusifolium: Stem Surface

Corky Ridges
Covered with a powdery bloom (glaucous)
Dull
Hairy (pubescent)
Polished
Smooth (glabrous)

Pseudognaphalium obtusifolium: Stem Buds

Hairy
Hairy tips
Scaly
Smooth/Hairless

Pseudognaphalium obtusifolium Whole Plant Traits

Pseudognaphalium obtusifolium: Plant Type

Annual
Bulb
Carnivorous
Edible
Epiphyte
Fern
Ground Cover
Herb
Herbaceous Perennial
Houseplant
Mushroom
Native Plant
Ornamental Grasses and Sedges
Perennial
Poisonous
Rose
Shrub
Succulent
Tree
Turfgrass
Vegetable
Vine
Water Plant
Weed
Wildflower

Pseudognaphalium obtusifolium: Growth Rate

Slow
Medium
Rapid

Pseudognaphalium obtusifolium: Maintenance

Low
Medium
High

Pseudognaphalium obtusifolium: Texture

Fine
Medium
Coarse

Pseudognaphalium obtusifolium Cultural Conditions

Pseudognaphalium obtusifolium: Light

Dappled Sunlight (Shade through upper canopy all day)
Deep shade (Less than 2 hours to no direct sunlight)
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)

Pseudognaphalium obtusifolium: Soil Drainage

Frequent Standing Water
Good Drainage
Moist
Occasional Flooding
Occasionally Dry
Occasionally Wet
Very Dry

Pseudognaphalium obtusifolium: Available Space To Plant

12 inches-3 feet
12-24 feet
24-60 feet
3 feet-6 feet
6-feet-12 feet
Less than 12 inches
more than 60 feet

Pseudognaphalium obtusifolium: NC Region

Coastal
Mountains
Piedmont

Pseudognaphalium obtusifolium: USDA Plant Hardiness Zone

thermostat
10a
thermostat
10b
thermostat
3a
thermostat
3b
thermostat
4a
thermostat
4b
thermostat
5a
thermostat
5b
thermostat
6a
thermostat
6b
thermostat
7a
thermostat
7b
thermostat
8a
thermostat
8b
thermostat
9a
thermostat
9b

Pseudognaphalium obtusifolium: Soil Texture

Clay
High Organic Matter
Loam (Silt)
Sand
Shallow Rocky

Pseudognaphalium obtusifolium Landscape

Pseudognaphalium obtusifolium: Landscape Theme

Asian Garden
Butterfly Garden
Children's Garden
Cottage Garden
Cutting Garden
Drought Tolerant Garden
Edible Garden
English Garden
Fairy Garden
Garden for the Blind
Native Garden
Nighttime Garden
Pollinator Garden
Rain Garden
Rock Garden
Shade Garden
Water Garden
Winter Garden

Pseudognaphalium obtusifolium: Landscape Location

Coastal
Container
Hanging Baskets
Houseplants
Lawn
Meadow
Naturalized Area
Near Septic
Patio
Pond
Pool/Hardscape
Recreational Play Area
Riparian
Rock Wall
Slope/Bank
Small Space
Vertical Spaces
Walkways
Woodland

Pseudognaphalium obtusifolium: Attracts

Bats
Bees
Butterflies
Frogs
Hummingbirds
Moths
Pollinators
Predatory Insects
Reptiles
Small Mammals
Songbirds
Specialized Bees

Pseudognaphalium obtusifolium: Problems

Allelopathic
Contact Dermatitis
Frequent Disease Problems
Frequent Insect Problems
Invasive Species
Malodorous
Messy
Poisonous to Humans
Problem for Cats
Problem for Children
Problem for Dogs
Problem for Horses
Short-lived
Spines/Thorns
Weak Wood
Weedy