Anaphalis Leaves Curling

Waterlogging and root rot

Waterlogging is the most common cause of decline in anaphalis and the primary reason the plant curls, yellows, and collapses in UK gardens. Despite its silver, woolly foliage that might suggest an association with dry, Mediterranean conditions, anaphalis is unusual among silver-leaved perennials in tolerating partial shade and some moisture. However, it does not tolerate genuinely wet or stagnant soil. In persistently waterlogged conditions, the roots suffocate and rot, and above-ground symptoms include leaves that lose their characteristic silver colouring, turn pale yellowish-green, curl, and eventually collapse. The woolly coating on the leaves and stems, which is an adaptation to retain moisture in dry conditions, also traps water around the plant in wet weather, which can encourage fungal disease at the crown level.

Plant anaphalis in well-drained soil. The one characteristic it genuinely requires is that water should move through and away from the root zone, even if the soil is not particularly dry overall. In heavy soils, work in coarse grit at planting and create a slightly raised planting position. If waterlogging has caused decline, lift the plant, remove any rotted roots, allow the remaining healthy tissue to air-dry briefly, and replant in improved, better-draining soil. A position in full sun with lean, gritty soil produces the most compact, drought-tolerant plants with the best silver colouring; positions in partial shade with moister soil are also acceptable, provided drainage is adequate.

Aphids

Aphids colonise anaphalis in summer, typically targeting the developing flower stems and the shoot tips where the growth is softest. Pale green or greyish aphids cluster at the tips and inside the developing flower clusters, causing the uppermost leaves to curl around the colonies. The woolly hairs on the leaves and stems can make aphid colonies harder to spot than on smooth-leaved plants, as the insects partly shelter within the woolly covering. Honeydew deposits make affected areas feel sticky. On well-grown, vigorous anaphalis in open garden positions, natural predators typically control aphid populations effectively without intervention during the summer season.

Treat aphid infestations on anaphalis with a strong jet of water directed at the stem tips and flower clusters. Insecticidal soap spray applied to all affected growth provides chemical control. Repeat every five to seven days for two applications. Because the woolly leaf surface makes thorough coverage with contact sprays difficult, ensuring the spray reaches the insects themselves, which shelter among the hairs, is more important than applying a large volume. Natural predators are effective on anaphalis grown in mixed borders and should be protected by avoiding broad-spectrum treatments where possible.

Powdery mildew

Powdery mildew affects anaphalis in late summer, appearing as a white coating that develops on the upper surface of the leaves beneath and in addition to the plant's natural silver-grey woolly covering. Distinguishing the disease from the plant's normal silvery appearance requires close inspection: the mildew coating is powdery and dusty in texture and tends to appear in patches rather than the uniform coverage of the natural tomentum. Affected leaves curl at the margins. Mildew is most common on anaphalis in crowded borders with limited air circulation or in plants that have experienced some soil moisture stress, as dry roots combined with humid air creates ideal mildew conditions. The late-season timing means it is rarely severe enough to affect the plant's long-term health.

Improve air circulation around anaphalis by spacing plants generously. Remove affected leaves and bin them. Spray with a potassium bicarbonate fungicide or bicarbonate of soda solution (one teaspoon per litre with a drop of dish soap) at the first sign of infection. Cutting anaphalis back after its main flowering in late summer, which is good practice to tidy the plant and prevent excessive self-seeding, removes the oldest and most mildew-susceptible growth. Dividing established clumps every two to three years and replanting with better spacing reduces recurrence.

Spider mites

Spider mites occasionally colonise anaphalis during hot, dry conditions, particularly on plants in very exposed, sunny positions. They feed on the undersides of the woolly leaves, causing the upper surface to develop a dulled, bronzed appearance beneath the silver tomentum and the leaf margins to curl downward. Because the woolly leaf surface already obscures the undersides of the leaves, mite populations can establish and grow before the fine webbing or stippling damage is noticed. Mite damage on anaphalis is most likely during prolonged heatwaves and less common than on smooth-leaved plants in the same position, as the woolly hairs physically impede mite movement.

Mist the foliage with water on hot afternoons to raise humidity and discourage mite reproduction. Remove the most badly affected stems and bin them. Apply neem oil or a miticide spray, working carefully into the woolly surface to reach the mites on the undersides of leaves. Repeat at seven-day intervals for two applications. Consistent watering to prevent drought stress reduces the susceptibility of anaphalis to mite attack, as mites preferentially target stressed plant tissue.

Drought

Anaphalis is one of the more drought-tolerant perennials available for garden use, and established border plants rarely suffer from moisture stress in normal UK summers. However, young plants in their first season and those grown in containers can show drought stress if watering is neglected, particularly during hot weather. Container anaphalis is the most common casualty: the silvery foliage and relatively compact habit make it an appealing container plant, but the restricted root volume dries out rapidly in summer and the plant will wilt and curl its leaves if not watered consistently. Border plants in very sandy, free-draining soils in prolonged droughts may also show tip browning and leaf curling on the oldest foliage.

Water newly planted anaphalis during its first growing season while the root system establishes. Container specimens need consistent watering in warm weather, though they should never be left standing in water. Once established in suitable well-draining border soil, anaphalis is genuinely drought-tolerant and rarely needs supplementary watering. The plant's silver tomentum is itself a drought adaptation, reflecting intense sunlight and reducing water loss from the leaf surface, which means established plants are naturally well-equipped to handle dry conditions that would stress many other perennials.

Rust

Rust fungus occasionally affects anaphalis, though it is less commonly reported than on many other perennials. The disease appears as small orange or rust-coloured pustules on the undersides of leaves, with corresponding pale spots on the upper surface. The woolly leaf covering can make the pustules harder to spot than on smooth-leaved plants, but close inspection reveals the orange powder that rubs off on the finger. Affected areas curl and pucker. Rust on anaphalis is most likely in warm, humid summers and in crowded plantings where air circulation is limited. An isolated outbreak on a few leaves is rarely significant for the long-term health of an otherwise well-grown plant.

Remove and bin all affected leaves promptly. Improve air circulation and avoid overhead watering. Apply a sulphur-based fungicide at the first sign of spreading infection. The annual cut-back of anaphalis after flowering removes any rust-infected material and the fresh growth that follows is typically clean. Dividing dense clumps every two to three years maintains the open structure that resists rust development.

Frequently asked questions

Why are my anaphalis leaves curling?

Waterlogging is the most common reason anaphalis leaves curl and the plant declines, as pearly everlasting requires well-draining soil and does poorly in wet conditions. Aphids colonise the stem tips and developing flower clusters in summer. Powdery mildew causes the silver leaves to develop a white coating and curl at the margins in late summer.

Does anaphalis like dry or wet soil?

Anaphalis prefers well-drained to dry soil and is more drought-tolerant than most silver-leaved perennials. It is one of the few plants with silver foliage that will also grow in partial shade and moister conditions. However, it does not tolerate waterlogged or stagnant soil and will decline and rot in persistently wet conditions.

Why are my pearly everlasting leaves turning yellow and curling?

Yellowing combined with curling on anaphalis most often indicates waterlogging or root rot. The silver-grey foliage loses its distinctive colour and turns yellow-green before curling as the plant declines. Check the soil drainage around the plant. If the soil is persistently wet, lift the plant and replant in a drier, better-draining position.

Why is my anaphalis flopping over?

Anaphalis typically flops in late summer if it is growing in overly rich, moist soil or in too much shade, producing tall, soft stems that cannot support themselves. It performs best in lean, well-drained soil in full sun, which produces compact, sturdy growth. Chelsea chop in late spring, cutting the stems back by a third, also reduces height and flopping tendency.