Plant Library

Other Names:  Silver Ragwort, syn. Senecio

Description:

An interesting and beautiful variety producing silver-gray, deeply lobed, fuzzy foliage; grown primarily for foliage, trim flower stems to promote new basal growth; excellent for edging, containers, or massed as groundcover

Ornamental Features

Dusty Miller's attractive tomentose ferny leaves remain silver in color throughout the season on a plant with an upright spreading habit of growth. It features dainty clusters of yellow flowers with gold eyes rising above the foliage in mid summer.

Landscape Attributes

Dusty Miller is an herbaceous annual with an upright spreading habit of growth. Its relatively fine texture sets it apart from other garden plants with less refined foliage.

This is a relatively low maintenance plant, and usually looks its best without pruning, although it will tolerate pruning. It is a good choice for attracting butterflies to your yard. It has no significant negative characteristics.

Dusty Miller is recommended for the following landscape applications;

• Mass Planting
• Border Edging
• General Garden Use
• Container Planting
• Hanging Baskets

Planting & Growing

Dusty Miller will grow to be about 12 inches tall at maturity, with a spread of 12 inches. When grown in masses or used as a bedding plant, individual plants should be spaced approximately 8 inches apart. Although it's not a true annual, this plant can be expected to behave as an annual in our climate if left outdoors over the winter, usually needing replacement the following year. As such, gardeners should take into consideration that it will perform differently than it would in its native habitat.

This plant does best in full sun to partial shade. It prefers dry to average moisture levels with very well-drained soil, and will often die in standing water. It is considered to be drought-tolerant, and thus makes an ideal choice for a low-water garden or xeriscape application. It is not particular as to soil type or pH. It is somewhat tolerant of urban pollution. This species is not originally from North America.

Dusty Miller is a fine choice for the garden, but it is also a good selection for planting in outdoor containers and hanging baskets. It is often used as a 'filler' in the 'spiller-thriller-filler' container combination, providing a mass of flowers and foliage against which the larger thriller plants stand out. Note that when growing plants in outdoor containers and baskets, they may require more frequent waterings than they would in the yard or garden.