Lamb's Ear is a soft textured herbaceous perennial, with leaves that have the appearance of a furry lamb's ear. Valued for it's blue colored foliage in the garden, this plant is easy to propagate and grow. Learn how to grow lamb's ear, and fill your garden with this attractive plant.
These plants are very easy to grow, and are also low maintenance, making them good beginner plants. Lamb's ear was one of the first plants that I grew as a beginner gardener.
Perfect for a children's garden, these plants will help to kindle an interest in gardening as the children reach to touch the soft foliage, shaped like a lamb's ear. The children absolutely love them, and it's fun to see them interact with the plants.
In this post I'll be covering how to grow Lamb's ear from seed and division, as well as maintenance and care of the plant. To begin, I'll start with a brief introduction to the plant itself, and the appeal of this great perennial plant for the garden space.
Understanding Lamb's Ear
Here is an overview of Lamb's ear characteristics making it a great plant to grow:
- Lamb's Ear, scientifically known as Stachys byzantina, is a beloved perennial plant cherished for it's soft, velvety foliage and low-maintenance nature. It's silver-gray leaves, reminiscent of lamb's ears, lend it it's charming name.
- While this plant is popular mainly for it's foliage, it also produces small, inconspicuous purple flowers on tall flower stalks in late spring to early summer. While not particularly showy, these blooms are still visually appealing, and add a subtle touch of vertical interest to the garden.
- Lamb's ear has a low-growing compact growth habit. This makes it a great choice for edging garden borders or pathways, rock gardens, or also filling in gaps in the garden with it's light colored foliage.
- This plant is drought tolerant and low maintenance once established, making it a great choice for most gardeners.
- While not a primary draw, Lamb's Ear flowers also attract pollinators such as bees and butterflies. This contributes to the overall biodiversity and ecological health of the garden, and one of the reasons I love to grow it.
- Beyond it's ornamental value, the plant also has a range of practical applications. It's soft leaves can be cut and dried, and also used in crafts such as wreath-making, or pressed flower arrangements. I'll show you how to cut and dry the leaves for future use.
Growing Lamb's Ear
This hardy perennial is often available at most garden centres in the spring. This is where I get my plants, but I also have many seedlings grown from seed.
Keep in mind, once you have your own plants, you can also collect the flower seeds in fall, and grow more plants.
Common Cultivars
There are a number of different cultivars and varieties available. Each variety has subtle differences in leaf size, color, and growth habit. Common cultivars include:
- Big Ears: This cultivar features larger than average leaves compared to the species, giving it a more substantial and bold appearance in the garden.
- Silver Carpet: This variety is prized for its low growing, spreading habit and dense silvery foliage.
- Primrose Heron: This variety stands out for it's soft, chartreuse-green leaves, which is a different look from the usual grey green foliage of lamb's ear.
- Cotton Boll: This cultivar is known for it's dense and compact growth habit, with flowers resembling fluffy cotton balls.
Propagation
Grow From Seed
If you want to grow lots of lamb's ear plants, one of the easiest ways to do this is to grow the plant from seed. The seeds can be started early indoors in late spring.
Plant the seeds in cell trays filled with a good soilless starting mix.
Sow the seeds into small holes in the top of each cell in the tray, and cover with vermiculite.
Bottom water each tray, and then place on a heating mat until 60% of the seedlings have germinated. Make sure to keep the soil moist while awaiting germination.
Then remove the trays from the heat mats and place them under grow lights. Keep under the lights until ready to be hardened off and transplanted outdoors in spring.
The seedlings grow quickly, and therefore will be a good size for planting out within 4 to 6 weeks.
Plant into the garden after the risk of frost has passed. Space plants approximately 12 to 18 inches apart if using as a ground cover, or further apart if being used as stand alone specimens.
Once in the garden the seedlings will multiply and grow. Each plant will form into a clump with lots of leaves by the end of the growing season.
Flowering will occur in the second year of growth, and onwards, as the plants mature.
Grow From Division
Division is a great way to propagate more plants. To accomplish this, make divisions from your mature plants.
Lift the plant by digging it up, and then divide the plant into pieces with a sharp clean tool. Each plant can be divided into several pieces, depending on the size of the plant.
Make sure that you have some of the crown with roots and leaves with each piece of your division.
Replant the divisions into their new locations at the same planting depth as the original plant. Water in well after planting.
Growing Conditions
Growing Zone
Lamb's ear grows well in USDA hardiness zones 4 to 8.
Light Requirements
Lamb's ear is a versatile plant, and can adapt to different light conditions in the garden. However, the plant will grow best with optimal flowering in a full sun location.
If grown in partial shade, provide at least 6 hours of direct sunlight per day if possible.
Moisture Requirements
Lamb's ear is a drought tolerant plant once it becomes established in it's growing location.
However when it is first planted, as well as during periods of prolonged drought, the plant will benefit from extra watering to thrive.
As a general rule, Lamb's Ear typically requires watering when the top inch or so of the soil surface feels dry to the touch.
Soil Requirements
Lamb's ear is a relatively adaptable plant when it comes to soil conditions, but it thrives best in well-drained soil with good aeration.
It's important to plant into well drained soil to prevent water logging and root rot.
Adding organic matter to the soil can help to aerate the soil, as well as improve fertility and soil structure.
Monitoring soil moisture levels and adjusting watering practices accordingly will ensure that your plant remains healthy and vibrant throughout the growing season.
Maintenance And Care
Pruning And Deadheading
Remove spent flowers and dead leaves regularly to tidy up the plants, and encourage new growth. You can also trim back the foliage in late fall to tidy up the plants and promote fresh growth in spring.
A good spring clean up also helps, to remove plant debris from the previous season.
If you are trying to minimize the growth of extra plants, deadheading spent flower spikes will help to prevent reseeding of the plant.
I find that although lamb's ear can reseed, there are generally few volunteer plants produced in my zone 5 garden.
Pest And Diseases
Lamb's Ear is relatively resistant to pests and diseases, but it may occasionally encounter issues such as aphids, spider mites, or fungal diseases like powdery mildew.
Monitor the plants regularly for signs of pests or diseases, and address any problems promptly using appropriate control measures, such as insecticidal soap or fungicides.
Harvesting And Using
The foliage of Lamb's ear can be harvested throughout the growing season for use in crafts and decor. The soft texture and attractive appearance of the leaves makes it a popular choice for various crafts and decorative projects.
Harvest by cutting the leaves as close as possible to the base of the plant. Avoid harvesting more than one-third of the plant's foliage at a time, to ensure your plant has continued growth and vitality.
Use Lamb's Ear leaves to create wreaths, floral arrangements, or pressed flower art. The fuzzy texture of the leaves adds tactile interest to DIY projects, and brings a touch of nature indoors.
Dry the leaves by hanging upside down for several weeks. I find that leaves harvested in the fresh state will preserve their color in the dried state, and many will still have a fresh green appearance, although some can turn brown as well.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Lamb's Ear Invasive?
While Lamb's Ear can spread through underground runners and self-seeding, it is generally not considered invasive in most regions. However, make sure to monitor it's growth and prevent it from spreading into areas where it's not wanted.
I find that it tends to reseed lightly in my zone 5B garden.
Can Lamb's Ear Be Grown In Containers?
Yes, Lamb's Ear can be grown successfully in containers, provided they have well-draining soil and receive adequate sunlight. Container-grown Lamb's Ear may require more frequent watering than plants in the ground, as containers tend to dry out more quickly.
In colder climates or regions with harsh winters, the containers will need some added winter protection, to prevent loss due to winter freezing.
Is Lamb's Ear Deer Resistant?
Yes, Lamb's Ear is known for its deer-resistant qualities. The fuzzy texture of it's leaves tends to deter deer, making it a valuable addition to gardens where deer are a concern.
Conclusion
Lamb's ear is a great addition to the garden. It's soft, velvety foliage, drought tolerance, and versatility make it a valuable addition to any landscape.
I love that it's so easy to grow from seed, requires very little maintenance, and grows very quickly in just one season. It's always a favorite with the children, who love to touch and feel the softness of it's fuzzy foliage.
If you don't already grow it, consider growing some lamb's ear this season, and discover the joys that it has to offer to your garden.
Have you ever tried to grow Lamb's ear from seed or division? Be sure to leave a comment below to share your experience!
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