Today's Nature post features the plant Life Everlasting.

Life Everlasting, Anaphalis Margaritacea, is also known as Pearly Everlasting, Everlasting Life, Indian Posy, Chafe Weed, or the Western Pearling Everlasting. This perennial plant belongs to the Compositae family with relatives such as the Sunflower. It is a fragrant, herbaceous plant with a variety of species. Life Everlasting can grow up to 3 feet high on woolly, branched stems that produces small, yellow centered flowers with white petals. These flowers grow in clusters blooming between July and September. This is a dioecious plant, meaning that the parts of the flowers that grow seeds and the parts that grow pollen, the female and male parts, are grown on separate plants altogether. It also produces long, lance-like leaves with a dark green, smooth surface and a woolly underside beneath. These plants are native to both Asia and North America as well as Northwestern Mexico. While they have been found in Europe, they are not native to the area. Life Everlasting prefers open pine woods, clearings, or dry fields to grow. They grow best in sunny, dry climates with a slight endurance for freezing temperatures. It's name is derived from it's ability to be dried and stored very well and used in floral arrangements or decorations well after it has been dried.

Life Everlasting, also known as Indian Posy, White Balsam, or Cottonweed, is associated with being a feminine plant connected to Venus and the element Air. It is known for it's properties concerning health, healing, and longevity. It is said that adding this plant to health spells will restore youth. It is also either placed within the home or carried on the body in order to prevent sickness. Consuming the plant is said to ensure a long life with a relatively low amount of illnesses. It can also be added to sachets or spells to aid in the length of the spell. Life Everlasting contains astringent, anti-inflammatory, expectorant, and antihistamine properties that make it excellent for treating lung or allergy ailments. It can be made into a tea that aids in breaking up mucus or to reduce nasal swelling. It encourages sweating in order to break fevers and can actually help reduce allergic reactions. Due to it's anti-inflammatory properties, it is also able to be used as a poultice to reduce swelling, bruising, or redness. These poultices can also relieve joint pain or to heal sunburns. Used as a mouthwash, it can aid in healing sores in the mouth and throat. Dried herbs made from this plant can be used to create calming herb pillows.