A versatile writer, Jann enjoys research as well as doing the actual writing. Lamb’s Ear, Stachys byzantina: “Velvet Leaves” One plant that children (and most gardeners) absolutely love after they are introduced is lamb’s ear. Speaking three languages and working on a fourth, Styles is pursuing a Bachelor's in Linguistics and preparing to travel the world. very pretty fuzzy plant. Many gardeners remove the flower stalks before the flowers bloom since this is a plant grown mostly for its foliage. Discard the pruned leaves. Jane profiles a lovely plant with a touchable texture. Genus name comes from the Greek stacy s meaning ear of corn in probable reference to the inflorescence of a related plant. Remove any dead and yellowing leaves to keep the plant neat and healthy, improve air circulation and reduce build-up of moisture in the center of the plant. But there is more to this plant than just the joy of the touch. The lambâs ear is very difficult to kill and can withstand heavy pruning. When choosing the best spot for these plants, consider the amount of sun the location gets. Hi Glenna - Yes, you can cut back the plant or remove sections of the lambs ear plants as John has described. The low-growing fuzzy leaves edging a garden are a delight for children as they rub their fingers on each leaf. Lamb’s ear is just as easygoing in the winter as it is the rest of the year. If flowering stems appear, you may want to pick them off to encourage the plants to spread with vigorous foliage. The Gardening Cook: How to Grow Lambs Ear â Stachys Byzantina, How to Care for Creeping Phlox Over the Winter. Prune all when required and remove all cuttings. Planted in the front of a garden or along a walkway, the lambs ear is a âquietâ plant. Initially planted in clumps several inches apart, the plant fills out the space as it grows. Before you get started, locate which leaves are in need of trimming. Cut the unwanted growth as close to the ground or main plant as possible for maximum impact. The lamb’s ear cultivar “Helene von Stein,” or big ears, is more tolerant of extremely warm, humid climates. Early fall is best. If you have the flowering variety of lambs ear it is best to deadhead the spent flowers. Grown for its wonderful soft velvety, silver-green foliage, as it rarely flowers. Don't try to use lamb's ear as a specimen plant. Not only does the common name give you a good indication of the irresistible fuzziness, but a person is captivated when they touch the silvery velvet leaves cloaked in soft hairs. Remove areas of the lamb's ear you find unappealing or sections of the plant that have spread beyond their boundaries. I have lambs ear that is 2yrs old and it came in looking great and in July the lower leaves of all three plants started to turn brown and crispy. The hairs also help prevent damage from herbivores sna… Sever the stalk close to the base of the plant, taking care to make a clean cut and not tear or rip the stem apart. It produces flowers in the spring and summer ranging in color from white to pink. To keep the plant from spreading, deadheading spent blooms is often a good idea. They are planted in a sunny spot, but the soil is a heavy clay at the base of some old aspen trees. Dead or dying elephant ear leaves will often appear to be yellowing or may have a brownish color. Stachys byzantina (syn. This will help the plant to bush out and remain more compact. Synonymous with Stachys betonica and Betonica officinalis . These gorgeous little wooly plants can tolerate cold temperatures well below freezing, so the roots don’t need much protection in winter. The cut should be as small and clean as possible to lessen the time your lamb's ear must devote to healing. Some gardeners remove the stalks before they bloom, according to Reiman Gardens. If you’ve never felt a leaf from this furry, silvery seafoam plant, imagine stroking a super soft puppy ear, or more appropriately, a baby lamb’s ear, and you get the picture. Serena Styles is a Colorado-based writer who specializes in health, fitness and food. If you must prune your Lamb's ear in the fall, try to do so earlier than November. In fact, if not controlled, it can be invasive throughout a garden. And easy plant for gardeners who prefer low maintenance, this perennial is ideal for xeriscapes and rock gardens. These are the blooms, and the long, slender stalks with pompoms growing from their sides should be the target of your pruning efforts. I would suggest removing no more than 1/3 of the plants growth during a single pruning in spring. Whenever I take a stroll through my yard and happen upon a cluster of Lamb’s ear, I’m always compelled to pluck off a plump leaf and rub it against my cheek. Prune lamb's ear plants during mid-summer to remove spent flower spikes and damaged foliage. Perfect for rock gardens, or a dry spot of average soil in a garden bed, lamb’s ears are easy plants to grow. Remove the cuttings from the garden bed. Lambs ears need full sun, and south-facing is the ideal location. Lamb's Ears (Stachys byzantina) is a wonderful evergreen perennial, mostly grown for its rich rosettes of showy, velvety, silvery tongue-shaped leaves, resembling lamb's ears and bringing interest to the border. Wipe the blades dry before sanitizing them with rubbing alcohol. It is cultivated over much of the temperate world as an ornamental plant, and is naturalised in some locations as an escapee from gardens. Genus Stachys can be annuals, perennials or shrubs, with paired leaves which are sometimes unpleasantly aromatic, and erect spikes or racemes of whorled, 2-lipped flowers . A career in television writing, as a magazine editor and celebrity interviewer, Jann adapts to her environment, having traveled the world, living overseas and packing and unpacking her treasures for a new location over 30 times. Feed lamb's ear a timed-release liquid fertilizer once a year in spring. The bright yellow flowers of the yarrow (Achillea millefolium), the nepeta (nepeta racemosa), also known as catmint with its violet flowers, and the bright white petals and brilliant yellow eyes of Shasta daisies (Leucanthemum superbum) all complement the lambs ear and all have the same growing needs.