Soil & potting mix
Best soil for Kitten Tails (Besseya bullii)
Also called Kitten tails, Kittentails, Bull's besseya.
More about kitten tails
About Kitten Tails
Besseya bullii · also called Kitten tails, Kittentails · flowering
Besseya bullii is a rare, conservative perennial wildflower endemic to six Upper Midwestern US states — Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio — where it inhabits dry sand prairies, oak savannas, bluff edges, and gravelly hillsides. It produces a basal rosette of woolly leaves from which a single fluffy spike of yellowish-green flowers emerges in April through June, standing 20–40 cm tall. The species is state-threatened or endangered across its entire range and is extremely sensitive to habitat disturbance, relying on periodic fire management to keep competing vegetation in check. Besseya bullii is not listed by the ASPCA and its safety for pets is unconfirmed; it is classified here as mildly toxic out of caution.
Preferred mix: Sandy or gravelly, dry, infertile, well-drained
Why kitten tails needs this mix
Kitten Tails flowers hardest in a rich but free-draining loam — fed enough to fuel the display, open enough that the roots never waterlog.
- Flowering is expensive for kitten tails: producing buds, blooms and seed draws heavily on nutrients and steady moisture, so the soil has to keep delivering all season.
- A loam-based mix holds nutrients and water far more evenly than a light peat mix, which means a longer, more reliable flowering period.
- It still needs sharp drainage — most flowering plants resent cold, wet feet far more than they resent being a little lean.
For the full picture on what makes up a good mix, see our guide to the main types of soil and potting media — it explains why each ingredient above behaves the way it does.
What goes wrong with the wrong mix
The wrong soil is one of the most common reasons kitten tails struggles, and the damage often shows up weeks later as a watering problem. For this species specifically:
- A thin, hungry or sandy mix gives kitten tails weak growth and few, short-lived flowers — it simply runs out of fuel.
- A heavy, badly drained soil rots the roots or crown, often over a wet winter, and you lose the plant before it ever flowers again.
- Over-rich, high-nitrogen mixes can push lush leaf at the expense of flowers — balance, not excess, is the aim.
Either starving kitten tails in a thin mix or drowning it in a heavy, badly drained one. It wants the rich-but-free-draining middle, plus a flowering (higher-potassium) feed in season.
pH — does it matter for kitten tails?
Most flowering plants, including kitten tails, do well around pH 6.0-7.0. A cheap soil test is worth it outdoors; one notable exception is any acid-lover (such as some hydrangeas), where pH directly changes flower colour.
If you want to check or adjust it, the soil pH guide walks through testing and the safe ways to nudge a mix more acidic or more alkaline.
DIY mix vs a bagged one
A quality bagged compost works for kitten tails in pots if you add grit and a flowering feed. In beds, improving the existing soil with compost and ensuring drainage beats any bag.
Drainage and the pot
Free drainage protects the roots and especially the crown over winter — raised beds, grit in the planting hole and never a waterlogged spot. Containers must have a clear drainage hole.
For perennials, refresh the top layer and feed each spring rather than disturbing the roots; for container displays, start with fresh rich mix each season. When the time comes, our repotting guide for kitten tails covers the timing and technique step by step.
Kitten Tails soil — frequently asked questions
What is the best soil mix for kitten tails?
3 parts good loam or quality peat-free compost : 1 part well-rotted compost or leaf mould : 1 part grit or perlite. Flowering is expensive for kitten tails: producing buds, blooms and seed draws heavily on nutrients and steady moisture, so the soil has to keep delivering all season.
Can I use normal potting soil for kitten tails?
A thin, hungry or sandy mix gives kitten tails weak growth and few, short-lived flowers — it simply runs out of fuel. A quality bagged compost works for kitten tails in pots if you add grit and a flowering feed. In beds, improving the existing soil with compost and ensuring drainage beats any bag.
Does kitten tails need a special pH?
Most flowering plants, including kitten tails, do well around pH 6.0-7.0. A cheap soil test is worth it outdoors; one notable exception is any acid-lover (such as some hydrangeas), where pH directly changes flower colour.
Should I buy a bagged mix or make my own for kitten tails?
A quality bagged compost works for kitten tails in pots if you add grit and a flowering feed. In beds, improving the existing soil with compost and ensuring drainage beats any bag.
How often should I refresh the soil for kitten tails?
For perennials, refresh the top layer and feed each spring rather than disturbing the roots; for container displays, start with fresh rich mix each season. Free drainage protects the roots and especially the crown over winter — raised beds, grit in the planting hole and never a waterlogged spot. Containers must have a clear drainage hole.
Keep reading
- Kitten Tails care — the full brief (light, water, humidity, problems, pet safety)
- How often to water kitten tails — the schedule the mix feeds into
- Repotting kitten tails — when and how to refresh the mix
- Soil pH guide — test it and adjust it safely
- Should I water my plant? The simple check first
- Why is my plant wilting? Wet vs dry diagnosis
- Root rot — how the wrong soil starts it, and how to save the plant
- Best soil for liquidambar styraciflua
- Best soil for liquidambar styraciflua 'worplesdon'
- Best soil for nyssa sylvatica
- All 10153 soil and potting-mix guides in the Growli library