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Lamb’s Ears

Lamb’s Ears

Lamb’s ear is an herbaceous perennial ground cover in the Lamiaceae (mint) family.
Hailing from the middle east and featuring thick, soft, velvety, silver-gray leaves that form a rapidly
spreading ground cover that also attract bees, butterflies and hummingbirds. They are evergreen
in warmer climates. In summer, tiny, purplish-pink flowers appear that are best removed to enhance
the foliage. As a drought-tolerant perennial, lamb’s ear (also called Wooly Betony) is good for xeriscaping and rock gardens. It’s a fast grower typically planted in the spring. A few new plants or cuttings
started early in the spring can fill a large area by fall.
Introduction
Mr. John Doe

Head Director

Description

Optimal Time/Temperature for Germination:
Lamb’s ear grows well throughout its hardiness range, zones 4a to 9a withstanding a range of temperatures and can be used as a winter or spring annual in zones 9b through 11, although it cannot survive hot, humid summers. This herbaceous plant is evergreen in mild climates. In colder areas, the leaves will die back to the ground during harsh winters and reemerge in the spring. If the lamb’s ear has flowered and you have harvested the seeds or have access to lamb’s ear seeds, the best time to start seeds is indoors in the late winter—8 to 10 weeks before the last frost. Moisten a good quality seed starting soil, press the seed into the soil but do not cover. The seed needs light to germinate. Keep the soil moistened throughout the germination process. You can also sow seeds outdoors after the threat of frost has passed. It takes about 30 days for seeds to germinate.
Optimal Soil Conditions:
With a slightly acidic pH 6.0 to 6.5, the soil type can be poor soil but well draining and evenly moist to dry. Amend the poor soil with organic matter to improve drainage before planting. Grow lamb’s ears in full sun in cooler climates. In desert areas and high-heat locations, it can profit from partial shade. Excessive heat and dry conditions will cause the leaves to scorch.
Seed Planting Depth, Spacing and Procedure:
If by seed, do not cover but press seed into soil. If not from seed, to propagate, either dig up newer plants that self-seeded and naturally propagated on their own or divide established patches in the spring. These plants divide readily and benefit from a division every two or three years to keep them looking and remaining healthy. Flowering varieties may need to be divided more often than non- flowering forms. A visual cue that you should divide is when you have a wide-spreading plant with a dead center. The plant’s creeping stems will root wherever they make contact with the soil. Here are steps: 1) You’ll need a new container (or growing location), well-draining soil, and gardening gloves. If the roots are firmly packed and aren’t budging, use a two-tined hand pitchfork to help you pry up the clump of lamb’s ears. 2) Gently pull up the clump. By hand, remove the dead, wilted parts and roots. Separate the clump into sections. Each section should have healthy fibrous roots. Plant each section at least 18 inches apart.
Best Companion Plants and Plants that Hinder:
Black-eyed Susan, Day Lilly, and Roses

Growing Instructions

Crop Maintenance

Moisture Requirements & Solutions:
Lamb’s ears only need about one inch of water per week. Water only if the soil feels dry. Lamb’s ears are drought-tolerant but will lose some of the older leaves during dry spells. Avoid watering the top of the plants; the leaves will rot or develop fungal leaf spots or powdery mildew if they get too wet. Leaves that are close to the ground are particularly susceptible to decay. You can help to keep the foliage dry by mulching underneath the leaves. If it’s in a pot, it needs a south window and go light on the water but water from the bottom to avoid wetting the leaves.
Weeding Needs & Solutions:
Feeding Needs/Optimal Natural Fertilizers:
You can skip giving your lamb’s ear fertilizer in most situations since it prefers soil that is not rich. However, you can add a thin layer of compost every spring to spur growth.
Pests, Diseases & Solutions:
The plants are deer-resistant and rabbit-proof. It’s not particularly susceptible to insect invasion, thanks in large part to its woolly, protective hairs on its stems and leaves. Some problems are rotting and spots on leaves which is a fungal infection from organisms that create brown, black, powdery yellow, or white spots. Discard infected leaves and decomposing matter. Rotting material often invites fungal spores to move in on an otherwise healthy plant. To treat and try to salvage infected plants, use an anti fungal spray and make sure the plant has plenty of air circulation. Lastly, microscopic nematodes are not insects, but slender, unsegmented roundworms. They feed on all parts of the plant. An infested plant will look sickly, wilted, or stunted, with yellowed or bronzed leaves and eventually die. The best way to get rid of the problem is to get rid of the plant. Some growers find the flower stalks of lamb’s ear gangly in appearance. Deadheading the plant keeps it looking tidy and helps prevent pests (it is the “dead” flower “heads” that you are removing). Removing dead leaves or parts will help prevent these pests. At the end of the growing season in late fall, the plant will begin to die back. Cut away the dying foliage to the soil level. If you don’t do this in the fall, you can cut away the dead foliage in the spring before new growth emerges. If the plant spreads and you prefer to keep the plant’s clumping growths, look at the center point where the plant originates. Lamb’s ears spreading away from its center point means that the center and those roots have likely died. Remove the dead centers. The plant sets new roots as it spreads. The plant can withstand winter. It will die back and not look pretty, but it usually rebounds in the spring. The only unforeseen circumstances are root rot, pests, or other diseases that might take hold if you leave the dying foliage to rot. Shear the entire plant at the soil level at the end of the growing season to maintain its health and growth habits. Leaving dead leaves and growth puts the plant at more risk of pests and disease.
When to Harvest/Number of days to maturity:
Depending on your region, like in late October is still good.
How to Harvest:
Using sharp shears, can cut as late as possible even after a couple of light freezes. Late October in NW Missouri. Make sure you harvest after any dew or rainfall has evaporated. They should be dry when you cut them and bring them in (helps to eliminate any potential mold.) Cut the stems as long as possible, giving you more potential in arrangements. Multiple drying ways…place some with longer stems into short dry bud vases and enjoyed them all through the house, while they were working hard drying, another 100 or so leaves on a table laying out flat, turn some of the leaves upside down with the spine of the leaf up (prevent those from curling in while drying). Some can lay “right side up” (the leaf spine on the table) so that as they dried, the edges of the leaves would have a bit of natural curl to them. You can leave several multi-leaf sprigs intact while drying. When you are ready for a project, you can always pull them apart. Store them loosely in a sturdy box with plenty of space. (over time they can get brittle.)
Optimal Storage temperature and conditions:
It dries beautifully and retains its signature soft silvery sage color and the soft fuzzy texture. Date and store. You’ll find that by making tea, it tastes like a combination of apples and pineapples.The leaves, deep fried in batter, are known as ‘lambari’ or fried fish in Brazil. Use them young in salads, steamed or stir-fried.
Optimal Preserving Procedures:
Seed Saving:
It self seeds and spreads by roots.

Harvest and Storage

Notes

Lamb’s ear has many cultivars, here’s a few of the most common: Big Ears or Helen Von Stein: popular variety for its bigger leaves; can go years without blooming; has relatively good disease resistance. Silver Carpet: another cultivar that does not flower often; stays short at 4 to 6 inches tall with a spread of 9 to 18 inches; its dimensions make it a good ground cover. / Cotton Boll: gets its name from the fuzzy, woolly formations on its flower stalks where flowers should emerge but often do not; instead, it yields interesting-looking cotton bolls. Don’t confuse Lamb’s Ear with Mullein (which qualifies as an invasive weed) that grows in zones 3 through 9. It’s A Natural Bandage This incredible plant is a natural source of antibacterial, antiseptic, anti- fungal and anti-inflammatory properties.

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