Lamb's Ears, also known as Wooly Betony or Wooly Woundwort, is a distinctive perennial groundcover that is a welcome addition to residential gardens. Its fuzzy gray-silver foliage and thick flower spikes add variety to flower borders. A vigorous plant, it is a staple in many gardens because it is easy to grow and has few insect or disease problems.
Size: Lamb's Ears foliage grows from 6 to 8 inches tall, but the flower spikes extend up to 18 inches above the ground. This plant has the characteristic square stems of the mint family. It spreads readily by means of root runners, spreading as far as permitted. Customarily, patches of lamb's ears are maintained from 12 to 24 inches wide.
Foliage: Lamb's ears foliage is extremely attractive. Individual leaves are 4 to 6 inches long, thick with a felt-like texture and a cool silvery-green color. They grow in dense mats.
Flowers & Fruit: More valued as a foliage plant than a flowering one, lamb's ears send up tall fuzzy spikes in early summer which feature whorls of unobtrusive flowers tucked among tiny leaves. These tiny, purplish to pink blossoms are 1/2 inch across, and bloom in late spring and early summer. They are very popular with honeybees. Many gardeners remove the flower stalks as soon as they appear to forestall self-seeding and improve the appearance of the foliage.
Lamb's Ear Choices
The variety `Silver Carpet' is a non-flowering form.
