# Dusty miller (*Jacobaea maritima*)

Dusty Miller is a soft, silvery plant that grows in sunny places. Its fuzzy leaves look like they are covered in dust, which is how it got its name!

- **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant)
- **Rarity:** Common
- **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low
- **Habitat:** Coastal areas

![Dusty miller](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Senecio_cineraria_Ghajn_Tuffieha_Malta_01.jpg&width=800)

Photo: Denis Barthel ( talk ), CC BY-SA 3.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Senecio_cineraria_Ghajn_Tuffieha_Malta_01.jpg)

## Appearance

The Dusty miller has distinctive silvery-grey leaves covered in fine, felt-like hairs, giving it a soft, fuzzy appearance. Its deeply lobed foliage makes it visually stand out from most green plants in a garden.

## Taxonomy

- **Kingdom:** Plantae
- **Phylum:** Tracheophyta
- **Class:** Magnoliopsida
- **Order:** Asterales
- **Family:** Asteraceae
- **Genus:** Jacobaea

## Interesting facts

- Its silver leaves make it look like it's sprinkled with moon dust!
- People grow it mostly for its amazing leaves, not its small yellow flowers!
- The scientific name "Jacobaea" honors a saint named St. James.
- This plant can handle salty air, making it a garden star near beaches!

## Special abilities

- **Sunscreen Blanket:** Dusty miller has fuzzy, silver leaves that reflect bright sunlight, protecting it from getting too hot and conserving water.
- **Water Saver:** Its thick, hairy leaves trap moisture close to the plant, helping it survive even when there's not much rain.
- **Tough Root Explorer:** Dusty miller can grow in poor, sandy soil where other plants struggle, finding nutrients with its hardy roots.

## Measurements & details

- **Height:** 30-90 cm
- **Spread:** 30-60 cm
- **Flower Size:** 1-2 cm
- **Bloom Season:** Summer to fall
- **Edible:** No
- **Toxicity:** Mild
- **Lifecycle:** Perennial
- **Pollination Method:** Insect

## Ecological connections

- **Pollinates:** European honey bee (*Apis mellifera*) — collects nectar and pollen
- **Pollinates:** Painted Lady butterfly (*Vanessa cardui*) — visits flowers for nectar
- **Eaten by:** [Garden Snail](https://www.snappit.app/explore/garden-snail) (*Cornu aspersum*) — nibbles on leaves and stems

## Traits

- [Flowering](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/flowering): Flowering plants are any plants that produce flowers as part of their reproductive cycle.
- [Ornamental](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/ornamental): Ornamental plants are cultivated primarily for their aesthetic appeal, enhancing landscapes and gardens with their attractive foliage, flowers, or form.
- [Shrub](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/shrub): A shrub is a woody plant smaller than a tree, typically with multiple stems branching from or near the ground.
- [Evergreen](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/evergreen): Evergreen plants retain their foliage throughout the year, never shedding all their leaves at once.
- [Drought Tolerant](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/drought-tolerant): Drought-tolerant plants can survive and flourish in conditions with limited water availability.
- [Pollinator Magnet](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/pollinator-magnet): Describes plants that are particularly attractive and beneficial to a wide range of pollinating organisms.
- [Coastal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/coastal): Coastal habitats are dynamic environments located along the interface between land and sea, influenced by tides, waves, and saltwater.

## Collections

- [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/plants)

## Safety

**Danger:** 1/5 · Very low

Always wash your hands after touching plants, just to be safe!

## Frequently Asked Questions

### How to identify Dusty miller?

Start with the whole plant, then compare leaf arrangement, leaf edges, stems and any flowers or fruit. Opposite leaves grow in pairs; alternate leaves come one at a time along the stem. These details tell you far more together than a single green leaf does. Plant Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details.

### How tall is Dusty miller?

30-90 cm

### How wide does Dusty miller spread?

30-60 cm

### How big are the flowers on Dusty miller?

1-2 cm

### When does Dusty miller bloom?

Summer to fall

### Is Dusty miller edible?

No

### Is Dusty miller toxic?

Mild

### What is Dusty miller's lifecycle?

Perennial

## More Plants

- [white snakeroot](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-snakeroot) (*Ageratina altissima*)
- [tree-of-heaven](https://www.snappit.app/explore/tree-of-heaven) (*Ailanthus altissima*)
- [western sword fern](https://www.snappit.app/explore/western-sword-fern) (*Polystichum munitum*)
- [common milkweed](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-milkweed) (*Asclepias syriaca*)

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Source: [Dusty miller: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/dusty-miller)