Exploring a parcel of land we are purchasing; small colony of Field Pussytoes were located on high, dry island within wet meadow and bordering an affluent of Prairie Creek. Colony size measured no greater than 2' x 2'. Other remnant prairie forbs and grasses also located. (Needs a good burn!) :)

We have a large colony of this in our horse pasture, maybe two acres in size.

Found many along the bluffs of the river where there was sunlight most of the day.

Found by my daughter in an oak savanna understory 5/11/2012.

Found in two places on my property. Both have moderate tree cover with filtered sunlight. One area is prairie type soil, and the other is carpet miss and pine needles. Each area approx. 10 ft by 10 ft.

Large natural planting on the hill above the snake sculpture.

I found these growing in a lawn in St Paul and transplanted some to our property. They're now carpeting part of our hill in front. Their flowers are really cute, and they are great as a groundcover among other taller plants (whorled milkweed, penstemons, pasqueflower, and so on). Today I saw an American Painted Lady butterfly on the plants sticking her eggs onto the leaves. I looked for the eggs and found two. They're really tiny and hard to see. There are also leaves stuck together by silk; I wonder if this is another species at work.

Found a circle of Pussytoes growing in the middle of our yard. Cute little flowers. Looked them up in Wildflowers of MN field guide by Stan Tekiela. Info says the plant gives off chemicals that "poison" the soil for other plants. I don't want it to kill the grass that surrounds it. Should I dig it out? In the comments above no one mentions that it is exactly invasive.

Barb, pussytoes mostly spread vegetatively but co-exist in the wild with other prairie plants rather nicely. In the end, it's all about competition. In a cultivated setting many native species may be a little more aggressive than in the wild, but this is usually manageable. I'd keep it myself, but keep an eye on it to avoid it spreading too far. Having said all that, we've seen many, many cases of a patch of pussytoes in the middle of someone's lawn. Most of these are not more than a couple feet in diameter. You can manage it.

Thank you. I will keep it where it is & watch it. Might also transplant some to our cabin area by Marcell, MN

My dads lawn has become overtaken by pussytoes, any ideas on how to control or eradicate it? Preferably without chemicals

corner of Cedar Creek Dr NW and Cty 9, just off the corner, on the right side as you drive up Cedar Creek there is a patch on the side of the road. I transplanted a tiny bit into a garden and it has taken off. I have noticed the patch off the road has grown a bit. Some neighbors down the road have it in their lawn, also. Nice to see it growing wild.

I have several patches and plan on letting them grow. We are converting to a bee/butterfly/low maintenance yard and love the wild flowers.

My neighbors yard has been over taken by pussy toes and is now spreading to my yard. Does anyone know what will kill this plant.I don,t want this plant in my yard, would like to spray it, weeds Be gone does not work.

Several places in the yard. Under the oaks is a tightly bunched and almost round clump. Several other spots in the yard in sunnier areas more spead out circular patches. Had to laugh at the name when I found it!

Two patches, 2' and 6', bloomed around May 9, north- facing slope of riverbank, white blooms

We have several patches in our lawn. I'd been introducing clover to the top of our hill, hoping to make the lawn more bee-friendly. Unfortunately, the pussytoes have killed off all of the clover and much of the grass. I want to eradicate the pussytoes. Any suggestions?

Robyn, personally, I'd rather have the native pussytoes over the exotic clover or useless turf grass any day. It's a host plant for American painted lady butterflies, too.

I purchased some for my own yard and love them. They fill in beautifully right up to the edge of the driveway and the curb, despite the dry conditions of those locations. I've also seen them in open, dry spaces under pine trees in a resort in Vergas, MN. To answer Gabriel's question, the removal of the fuzz from the leaves is the work of the caterpillars, making a little home to protect themselves from the eyes of a predator looking for an easy meal. If you look closely at the fuzzy cocoons, you'll see the caterpillar in there.

We have male and female field pussytoes throughout our yard.

We have multiple huge patches throughout our lawn - although I'd love a low maintenance yard, I'd like the random patches gone. Any suggestions other than digging up my yard? Don't even know how it got here...

I received some pussytoes from our county to plant, but just noticed in a Wildflowers of Minnesota Field Guide that the plant is allelopathic and will poison the soil for other plants. I planted this at the front of pollinator garden. Will this plant prevent my other pollinators from growing and thriving? Thank you.

Mary, I have pussytoes in my gardens. They spread by stolons but easy enough to keep in check so they can play well with others. They are a host plant for American Lady butterflies. What's not to love?

I'm trying to use pussytoes as perennial ground cover. I am curious if someone knows about when they seed out? I imagine mid-June to mid-July, but I am unsure. I'd like to collect the seeds to plan as ground cover in my garden, though I'm not sure I've seen any males on my land, only solid 2' diameter colonies of females, so hoping they'll be viable seeds...

David, your timing is about right for when seed matures, but pussytoes also spreads vegetatively so even a male population will spread on its own.

I planted a six-pack of these near my front door (sunny, hell-strip sort of place next to the front walk) last year. They are doing great. I noticed a few days ago that many of the leaves appear to be rolling up and turning white, so looked closer and determined that the American Lady butterfly - caterpillar stage - is ALL OVER THEM! Amazing! Sure hope the plants survive!

Renay, have no fear. Pussytoes have been serving these caterpillars forever and have survived just fine.