Communities

Scientific Name

Ptilotus spathulatus

Family Name

AMARANTHACEAE

Common Name

Pussy Tails

Status

Height

Flowers

Vertical from ground, fluffy spikes 3-7cm long, covered with long straight hairs, green/yellow.

Fruit

Nuts

Form

Perennial herb, spreading prostrate stems.

Municipalities

Break O'Day; Brighton; Central Highlands; Clarence; Derwent Valley; Flinders Island; Glamorgan-Spring Bay; Glenorchy; Northern Midlands; Sorell; Southern Midlands

Communities

Grassy Vegetation

Habitat Notes

Occasional in dry grassy places.

Site Tolerance

Dry

Frost Tolerance

Soil Tolerance

Fertile; Loam; Well-drained

General Notes

Difficult to collect seed as it ripens unevenly on each head. Variable germination, removal of fruit to pure seed may promote germination. Suitable below powerlines.

Propagation Details

Propagation Calendar

Flowering Months

Jan

Feb

Mar

Apr

May

Jun

Jul

Aug

Sep

Oct

Nov

Dec

Seed Collecting Months

Jan

Feb

Mar

Apr

May

Jun

Jul

Aug

Sep

Oct

Nov

Dec

Sowing Months

Jan

Feb

Mar

Apr

May

Jun

Jul

Aug

Sep

Oct

Nov

Dec

Cutting Months

Jan

Feb

Mar

Apr

May

Jun

Jul

Aug

Sep

Oct

Nov

Dec

Seed Information

Seed Collection

Fruit 2-3cm long, fluffy seedheads lose green tinge & turn off-white, small nut enclosed in rounded end of fruit. nut releases easily from seedhead when ripe

Seed Treatment Method

Seed Storage Life

Short

Viable Seeds Per Gram

Seed Treatment Notes

Grown from seed, but low seed viability. Viable seed usually germinates easily without treatment. Fresh seed recommended.

Germination Time

2-4 weeks

Suitable for Direct Seeding

Cuttings

Expected Time to Take Root

Expected Time to Plant Out

Propagation by Division N.B. Transplant only from nearby to avoid disease.

Cutting Notes