The Silver Carpet Lamb’s Ear plant, a favorite for cultivating with children, is likely to delight in almost any garden setting. The silky soft, woolly, evergreen leaves of this low-maintenance perennial range in color from silver to gray-green. Its name comes from the fact that the foliage resembles real lamb’s ears in shape. Lamb’s ear will also produce spikes of pink to purple flowers if let to blossom in the summer.
The leaves can be utilized as a sort of “band-aid” for wound healing and to soothe unpleasant bee stings in addition to admiring its lovely, fuzzy foliage. Discover at homegardenartful.com!
Whare to plant Silver Carpet Lamb’s Ear
Silver Carpet Lamb’s Ear should be planted in unexceptionally rich soil with dry to moderate moisture. When grown in rich soil, the plant quickly develops an aggressive personality. Lamb’s ear will not tolerate damp soil; instead, the soil ought to drain effectively. Select a site that receives full or partial sun, with some afternoon shade.
Lamb’s ear may be planted in practically any place as long as the soil drains because it is drought-resistant as well as tolerates the poorest soils. It looks good as a ground cover, bed, border, or container plant.
Lamb’s Ear Growing
Growing a lamb’s ear in the garden is easy as long as you create the right circumstances. Because of the plant’s Middle Eastern origins, which make it excellent for growing in drought-like circumstances, it is hardy in USDA plant hardiness zones 4–8. In actuality, lamb’s ear plants may thrive practically everywhere.
The plant needs to be planted in either full sun or light shade. Even though lamb’s ear may grow in the worst soils, it should always have good drainage because the plant doesn’t like it when the ground is too wet. This is particularly valid for shaded places. Even though lamb’s ear is generally planted for its foliage, it has numerous other purposes in the garden. The plant is perfect for use as a ground cover due to its low-growing, mat-forming foliage. They can be grown in containers or in open borders with other perennial plants.
How to Plant Lamb’s Ears
Silver Carpet Lamb’s Ear planting is simple and often occurs in the spring. No deeper than the pots they were initially growing in, the planting holes should be. Plants should be spaced at least a foot (30 cm) apart to avoid overcrowding.
Although lamb’s ear doesn’t require a lot of fertilizer, you can, if you’d like, add some compost to the holes before planting. Do not overwater new plants; instead, give them ample moisture.
Lamb’s ears are relatively low maintenance once established, making it simple to take care of them. Only water the soil when it is noticeably dry. In areas with high rainfall or those that are prone to humidity, keep an eye on the foliage since rotting can result. Mulch can be placed underneath the leaves to assist in stopping this.
In the spring, trim the plant back and remove any browned leaves that are unnecessary. Deadheading wasted blooms is frequently a good strategy to prevent the plant from spreading. The plant can be multiplied through division in spring or fall in addition to self-seeding.
Care for Silver Carpet Lamb’s Ear
- Watering: During dry spells, provide established plants with about an inch of water every week. Water at the ground level to keep the leaves as dry as possible. The hairy leaves can retain water, causing powdery mildew and other fungi infections, thus avoid overhead watering. Another way to keep soil moisture from coming into contact with your plants’ leaves is to add a layer of mulch around the base of your plants.
- Amendments and fertilizer: To improve drainage, replace compacted or heavy clay soil with compost or other organic materials. Fertilization is typically unneeded because a lamb’s ear requires little nutrition to flourish.
- Pruning and deadheading: After the blooms fade in the middle of the summer, cut the flower stalks off at the base to keep your plants looking clean. To keep the plant’s energy concentrated on the leaves, some gardeners choose to remove the flower stalks as they form. In order to give plants more exposure to sunlight and promote air circulation, which can lessen the likelihood of rot, plants can benefit as well from thinning in the middle of the summer.
- Dividing: Every three to four years in the spring, lamb’s ear should be divided to reduce crowding and promote plant health. Typically, you’ll notice that your plants need to be divided when the core of the plant starts to die. Utilize a spade or sharp knife to separate the rootball into sound, rooted portions that can be shared or replanted after being dug up.
- Propagation: Unless you are growing a non-blooming variety, you can reproduce plants from seed or by division.
- Pests and diseases: Lamb’s ear has few pest issues, but in humid, excessively moist conditions, it can suffer root rot and foliar diseases. As soon as you notice any wilting or rotting leaves, remove them while making sure the soil is well-drained.
Silver Carpet Lamb’s Ear Propagation Techniques
Silver Carpet Lamb’s Ear can be quickly multiplied by dividing the plant. Lift the entire plant, including the root ball, from the ground in the spring. Pull the plant apart using a sharp knife or your hands. The divisions should be planted right away and watered. After a couple of weeks of keeping the soil moist, water the plants only when necessary.
Although hybrid types shouldn’t be produced from seed, lamb’s ear can also be grown from seed. Fill containers with potting soil a few months before the final spring frost date, press the seeds into the soil, but don’t cover them. They need up to four weeks to germinate, so keep them warm or on a heating pad until then. Before transplanting the seedlings outside, harden them off.
Questions and Answers
What kind of animals eat lamb’s ears?
They are not bothered by deer or rabbits. Considering that common garden wildlife dislikes the fuzzy texture of the leaves, it is thought that the hairs on the leaves help prevent damage from occurring.
How many years can a lamb’s ear live?
In the garden, a single plant may live for four or five years, although some gardeners say that the plant never dies due to its propensity to spread quickly. A lamb’s ear in a garden bed needs to be continuously contained.
If not given the full-sun, rather dry soil conditions it prefers, lamb’s ear houseplants may only live for two years.