07)+Dusty+Miller

=Dusty Miller=

//Genus species - Senecio cineraria// Family - Asteraceae

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|| Dusty Miller Leaves || || Dusty Miller Flowers ||
 * Dusty Miller Plant
 * Dusty Miller in Garden

Classification:
Angiosperm, Monocot, Monoecious

Family characteristics:
Leaves: - Simple leaves - Leaf margins are lobed - Leaves are alternate

Description of Flower: Dusty Miller flowers are either white or yellow, and look similar to daisy's. Number of Petals: Many

Size:
12-18 Inches

Identifying features:
- Flower: Plant blooms in summer. No flowers present as it is currently spring. - Leaves: The leaves are green with a white fuzz covering the leaves. Leaves are lobed. - Surrounding Area: There are roses, aster, and sweet william are present. This plant is known to make a good boarder or filling in a garden, but it is also known to be a deer resistant plant. Even though we do not have deer present in Davis, this plant can be useful in detering deer in other areas.

Location/Habitat:
This plant thrives in USDA zones 8a, 8b, 9a, 9b, 10a, and 10b, where temperatures are 10-35 ºF. The ideal pH for the soil is between 5.6 - 7.5. Dusty Miller thirves in well drained soils. Be aware that in long hot, wet periods //Senecio cineraria// can get a rust disease and die.

Water/Sun Requirements:
Dusty Miller thrives in areas with full sun, but can tolerate partial sun. This plant does best in well drained soils, and even sandy soils with regular watering. This plant is fairly drought tollerant once it is established, but during long dry periods it should be watered. New dusty miller plants should be watered regularly untill the roots, which can cover a large area, are well established.

Reproduction:
The reproductive parts on a Dusty Miller plant are the flowers. //Senecio cineraria// usually flowers in the summer as they like a Mediterranean climate. Dusty miller flowers have both male and female reproductive parts, so it is a monoecious plant. The male reproductive parts of a flower are called the stamen, these are responsible for producing pollen. The female reproductive parts of a flower are called the pistil, which contain the ovaries. For a Dusty Miller flower to be pollinated the pollen from the stamen needs to enter the pistil. There are many ways for this to happen, but the most common for a Dusty Miller plant is through a pollinator. Pollinators are animals such as bees (Hymenoptera), butterflies and moths (Lepidoptera). Once the flower has been pollinated it will usually produce fruit or seed(s). In the case of Dusty Miller, when the flower has been pollinated it produces a type of seed called an achene. An achene is a simple type of dry fruit. Achenes are monocarpellate, meaning that they are formed from one carpel, also known as the pistil. Achenes are also indehiscent, meaning that they do not open once they have reached maturity. Once the seeds have reached maturity you can plant them to grow more Dusty Miller Plants. When planting new seeds do not cover them with soil.

Special Adaptations:
//Senecio cineraria// contains poisonous alkaloids and therefore should not be eaten.

Sources:
[|Dusty Miller - Garden Guides] [|Floridata - Dusty Miller] [|Dave's Garden - Dusty Miller] [|Leaf Picture] [|Garden Picture] [|Wikipedia - Dusty Miller] [|Flower Anatomy] [|Pollinators] [|Achene]

Created by: Rachael deVries