The seeds come from the flowers, once they’ve dried up. If they are the same thing, then I am in luck!!! So cool! What is that, can you be more specific? Thank you for your precious time to provide so many wonderful articles. Very nice. Muellin has a tall.. 4-5′ stalk in center with small yellow flowers up it..My Mom was 1/2 Cherokee she used it medical. I loved this stuff when I was a kid! some people only grow it for the foliage but bees love the flowers. Hello all The Chippewa Herald. If you’re planting started plants, space them at least a foot or so apart so they have room to sprawl. It’s a good alternative to store-bought bandages if you’re trying to live a truly off-the-grid lifestyle. I love your blog and I love Lambs ear too! From this point you can use how you wish. This tea not only tastes great, but can be used to treat a variety of conditions. I just want to snuggle this little plant! THANK THEM FOR THE LOVELY VISIT OR THE GREAT CONVERSATION! Thanks for any suggestions. When they have several sets of “true” leaves, they’re ready to be transplanted into a semi-shady to sunny spot of your choice. It is very drought tolerant. Once the plants have developed, you have to keep an eye out for rotting in humid conditions. I was surprised how much one can use this plant for, I will be trying some suggestions. We collect our water, deal with our wastewater on-site and produce most of our own power. It seems to be getting worse. I definitely will get it planted soon. I got mine from a neighbor and transplanted into my garden. How can you tell the difference between lambs ear and mullein? I just KNEW this plant had some good uses. I harvest the leaves throughout the growing season, but never left them to flower. I just finished reading your what to grow in shade post and wanted to let you know I had good success with Lambs Ear in shade. Place the head on a roast pan, with both sides of the head showing … The house I moved into has a lot of Wooly Lamb’s Ear growing all over the place. Otherwise I really love the plant. Information about this plant, beyond describing it as an ornamental is difficult to come by. Plant needs some shade to keep from color washing out and stugging to survive. I was wondering if there is a difference between Wooly Lambs Ear and just Lambs Ear. Orecchiette (pronounced oh-reck-ee-ET-tay) is a distinctive type of pasta from Puglia (Apulia), the southeastern region of Italy that forms the heel of Italy's boot. I loved it as a kid because it was so soft, but had no idea it was anything more than ornamental! Lamb’s ear grows wild all over in Sandy areas around Northern MN where I got my plants from. Cough is gone and almost all congestion. It was used for centuries as a “women’s comfort” for hemorrhoids, menstrual flow, birthing, for nervous tension, and as a skin aid. In the second stage, it will send up stalks and flowers in spikes. If you happen to notice Lamb’s Ear on your property, let it be! I bought a lamb’s ear this spring. This article was so great and right on time for me. Lamb’s ear has been used as a natural dye for wool. It’s also resistant to rabbits. We are in zone 9 and now I have them in full sun but I have been propagating to shadier spots because they stay soft and luscious all summer in shady spots and tend to get leggy in full sun in zone 9. Here are some of the other things lamb’s ear can treat: You can even use Lamb’s Ear for floral arrangements, wraths, and potpourris. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Beautiful and ready to bloom, You might need to thin it every two or three years. The pasta is shaped roughly like small It has also been said that Lamb’s Ear was used as the first toilet tissue! They have survived 10+years to date. When planting, space your seedlings about a foot apart. I know people who eat it and eat it myself. It’s also believed to boost liver and heart health and to treat staph infections, E. coli, and other diseases. Very hot and humid here. However, it has spread widely to most parts of North America. Wherever you plant them, make sure you are comfortable with them epxnading. It grows best in zones 4 to 7 but may be able to tolerate some other climates, too. I took some cuttings & rooted them. Love your article and how completely you’ve covered everything. You had me at “the first toilet tissue”. The spires of flowers are a beautiful contrast with delicate purple flowers. Not spelled correct!it’s taken me weeks to figure out what this is, now at about 4 ft tall I am wagering it’s a However, now you know you have a natural substitute if everything goes wrong and supplies are not available. Thanks for the information! Mullein is a very different plant. Besides the sopping up of blood and use as a dressing, lamb’s ear has also been used as a poultice and has analgesic properties. They do nicely in containers, or in any well-draining soil. The deer demolish everything up there! Hi, I bought my lambs ear a few weeks ago and planted it in an indoor planter. Thanks for the support.. Thank you! They’re super easy to start from seed (I ordered mine from Horizon Herbs). (I suggest setting the pot, which should have drain holes in the bottom, in a container of water to absorb moisture as needed instead of watering from the top.). It’s fuzz is a bit itchy where as lambs ear is ever so soft. . Used as a natural bandage in medieval times, this plant is super effective at healing wounds. http://sensiblegardening.com Plant of the Day series - Short, informational video featuring I have always found the information that you share to be accurate and I appreciate that. pests. Morag is an urban permaculture pioneer and cofounder of the Australian City Farms and Community Gardens Network and Northey Street City Farm in Brisbane. Thankyou for sharing how to propogate it. With so many uses for this beautiful plant, we’d better plant a ton!! I love sensory gardens. I have some of these growing in 1 of my beds and thought of them as ornamental. Remove dead or diseased leaves to prevent these (as well as other!) It is a forager’s guide to ultimate food security, including 100 nutrient dense it will produce a lot of seeds so you will most likely end up with hundreds of babies. Just plant the seeds about 1/4″ deep in seed starting mix, and keep moist and away from direct sunlight until the seedlings emerge. This can help prevent your flower stalks from becoming too tall and gangly. I am definitely going to find my self some and plant it in my borders to view, to eat and caress. https://www.motherearthliving.com/mother-earth-living/lovable-lambs-ears Completely my own fault…I have no trouble when dosing sensibly. NEVER thank someone for a plant start! This plant grows up to three feet tall and up to four feet wide, and can produce flowers in colors like pink, purple, red, and even white. I too grow Lambs Ear, at the moment it's frozen til spring. https://come-se.blogspot.com.au/2008/11/stachys-lanata-ou-orelhas-de-coelho-ou.html. Thank you for sharing so much information about them. You can also make a very pleasant tea by steeping dried leaves in boiling water. . MORAG GAMBLE Blog is an award-winning Australian permaculture designer, speaker, author, blogger, film-maker and teacher. What am I doing wrong? It is also a fabulous bee attractor and the bumblebees in my garden love it. Finally got its name from you. You can easily dig up the Lamb’s Ear and transplant it. but now I know so much more about this beautiful plant. Now I am rethinking this plant because of the properties it has. She creates the popular Our Permaculture Life Blog and YouTube channel, offers online permaculture education – The Incredible Edible Garden and the Permaculture Educators Program, a combined Permaculture Design Certificate and Permaculture Teacher Certificate. Not only is it useful medicinally, but it’s also edible! Lamb’s ear is commonly used as a flower border but can also serve as an excellent groundcover. Wife and homeschooling mother of four. What’s your favorite way to enjoy it? Anyone no if they grow wild?? Just a warning to anyone like me who thinks. Thank you for your many valuable posts with simple, practical suggestions. Lamb’s Ear Ah, Lamb’s Ear. You will see a big difference in days. Just got the first plant this weekend. "The Wild Wisdom of Weeds" features the thirteen weeds that can be found growing all over the world. Medicinal and deer resistant….who knew! I have found here in Alabama the plant does best with morning shade, full sun after noon, in my yard. My Lamb’s Ear has purple flowers. Thanks for all this great info about their foraging use. Subscribe to Lambs' Ears and Honey Koi Kitchen Knives – Performance, Bling and South Australian Produced Discover the difference between Japanese and Western kitchen knives – and discover Koi Knives, beautiful, South Australian-made excellence. For an even more powerful effect, combine lamb’s ear with a bit of plantain or yarrow. Had a chronic cough after a bout with pneumonia. Valentine's Day in summary: flowers and pastries from my parents, homemade Valentines from all of us to each other, empty plates from a delicious chickpea seitan dinner courtesy of @kevin_coons , and a Boston Cream Pie that I MADE! Thanks. https://www.onsuttonplace.com/fall-wreath-idea-lambs-ear-cotton-bolls It’s used as an edible plant in a variety of areas, particularly in Brazil, and is known there as lambari. Some of the reviews on this site may be compensated by the companies whose products were reviewed. By kalphen Actually, we have pretty hard red clay here, and they’ve adapted just fine when amended with compost. Once they’ve popped up through the soil, make sure they get plenty of light for at least 6-8 hours a day. I love it, but it gets very “thirsty” in the pot I have it in. Her website features gardening tips and tricks, recipes, travel ideas, product reviews, and social media how-to help from her personal and unique experiences.gardening tips and tricks, recipes, travel ideas, product Thanks! The plants will multiply; to keep them controlled, thin them as needed by dividing the crowns with a sharp shovel to transplant. I love herbs and do have lambs ear growing in my herbal garden. The leaves of wooly lamb’s ear are perfect as makeshift bandages. It'd be great to find a conclusive scientifically written text so that I can share that too. Just was the leaves good and burst them and apply to the area. It grew and I an gonna plant it in another pot my lambs ear likes shade a lot better than sun it has 14 big full grown leafs. It can be used as a landscaping plant, too, as it’s perfect for edging and creating borders. Charlene Strong. Flowering in Bairnsdale (Victoria, Australia) today. You can buy the plants. Herbalists sometimes refer to it as ‘wooly woundwort’. I love this plant! https://www.thespruce.com/lambs-ears-uses-how-to-care-and-control-2132610 I’ve seen them for sale at local nurseries. That sounds like mullein. Remember that the next time you head out on a backwoods camping trip. I always thought it would make good TP, if things ever got that bad…. Mullein most definitely works great for cough. Guess cause she made to an oil for my earache. Except in exceptionally hot wet conditions, I manage to grow it in a drier, well drained spot in my SE QLD garden. I never heard that term! Morag offers a wealth of knowledge of all things permaculture and has taught in 22 countries – she is always teaching and sharing. Mysteriously, some superstitious people even believe that lamb’s ear has the power to heal spiritual and emotional wounds! I will now dig every one I see up!!! I also, wanted to mention while at my local Farmers Market they had dehydrated lambs ear for sale as dog treats. I love my lambs ear more now to mounts got medical use.. Started dosing with Mullein tea. Tx so much for the info on these plants. To hang your wreath, cut a 20-inch length of ribbon and fold in half. I hope you can get a bunch planted! Pick fresh, young leaves for best flavor when consuming. You don’t need to fertilize prior to planting, but it doesn’t hurt to add a bit of compost. Worked great & now I have my own patch! Lamb’s ear has two phases of growth – in the first, it will grow horizontally and produce a cushiony mattress. Be well. My son said he had read that the Wooly Lambs Ear could not be bought as a plant, only by seed. Actually, we have pretty hard red clay here, and they’ve adapted just fine when amended with compost. I am so into natural healing. Was wondering if it’s a pest or due to a wet spring. They are grown primarily for the color and texture of their foliage, although the species does have flower spikes early in the season. I’m in Mississippi, and it is all in the woods where there is very, very little sun. Every time I walk past it I just have to stop and feel it. I cannot wait to grow some!!!! Even if you choose not to divide it because it’s growing out of control, it’s a good idea to, at the very least, prune your plants. The spikes will grow to up to 18 inches tall, with the rest of the plant spreading out about one foot wide, much closer to the ground. The white hairs on the leaves do more than create a nice pop of colorthey Just wanted to say that Lambs Ear is good for hemmorids. This is not about sprinkling, it's about an even covering of sugar. Combine 1/2 cup of the sugar and the cinnamon and spread it evenly on the puff pastry. I am wondering if it is possible to make scented oil or water from them as you would lavender or violets? https://laurels-garden.blogspot.com/2012/04/mullein-or-is-it-lambs-ear_16.html If you are reading this and haven’t planted lamb’s ear yet, I recommend selecting a location that you don’t mind becoming inundated with these plants – you’re going to have plenty on your hands so it’s a good idea to plan ahead. I think it would be fine. I have managed to find a couple of references to the young leaves being edible but these are also more sharing of experience, and in Brazil it being dipped in batter and cooked (a type of poor man's fish I suppose, a little like many people did with comfrey leaves too). It’s my favorite herb in our very little homestead. Is now a good time to transplant? Connect With Bren Haas Bren Haas is the creator of GardenChat which is the first online gardening social community using social media. Not only is it a valuable plant to have in your garden, it offers hundreds of medicinal and culinary purposes as well. Among them, lamb’s ear can treat sore throats, internal bleeding, and even candida overgrowth. For centuries, hunters and soldiers have used Lamb’s Ear leaves as a field dressing for injuries. I have some that are over 6 feet tall (including seed head). We designed and built our modular eco-home – with much appreciated help from my family. My Grandma called it rabbit ear. A city girl learning to homestead on an acre of land in the country. Whenever I walk past it I have to stop and touch it’s gorgeous leaves. The bees love it. Hello Pamela, Thank you for your feedback. That actually sounds like it may be a mullein plant. https://www.gardenguides.com/102583-dry-lambs-ear-cuttings.html Healthy flowers attract bees as well as other pollinators, and also give off a pleasant, pineapple-like scent. A frost hardy plant, it produces downy leaves that make it super drought tolerant. Water them as needed when you see the soil getting dry. Now I’m wanting to line my rock beds with them! The pH should be mostly neutral at about 6 to 6.5. , Thanks for this article! In addition to its lush foliage, it also produces lovely blooms. 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. It is truly a self-mulching plant! I had been searching online trying to fine the name for my plant for some time. Last year, in Fall, I cut down the flower spikes that were then brown and dry, and tossed them on my potting table. And smile. Use them to treat scrapes, buts, burns, insect stings, and bug bites. I heard rabbits don’t like lambs ears, so won’t eat them. ~L. Every year I notice black spots on the leaves and now on the flower buds. this is a drought tolerant plant. Have to do is break off a part of the plant close to the ground where there is route come stemming off of the limb take that put it in water wait for the route to continue to grow when there is significant amount of Route then you can take and Transplant directly into the soil do not water the leaves as they will yellow. Although it’s considered invasive, there are a ton of physical benefits to it that most people appreciate. I can’t wait to read more of your blog. These are one of my favorite herbs on our property. There are several cultivars available, including: Commonly grown in children’s’ gardens, this plant is easy to grow and even more fun to touch! It was used either alone, or to help hold in other herbs like comfrey. Or scroll to discover the latest recipes from my best, most popular categories! I can’t wait to finally have something pretty there. Above is a picture of my seedlings on transplanting day. Image source: Morag Gamble, Permaculture Life and Work - Matt Powers with Morag Gamble, One Planet Living with Tao Wimbush and Morag Gamble at Lammas Ecovillage, Wales, 4 Ways To Reduce Microfibre Pollution From Your Clothing, City Repair with Mark Lakeman and Morag Gamble, How To Make Your Own Simple, Easy Hummus with Morag Gamble, https://come-se.blogspot.com.au/2008/11/stachys-lanata-ou-orelhas-de-coelho-ou.html, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ba_oistgVHw, How to Grow, Harvest and Use Rosella (Hibiscus sabdariffa). Morag’s natural habitat is her award-winning edible landscape at Crystal Waters Ecovillage. I had never heard of lamb’s ear. Even when water is low and sunlight is intense, this plant will rarely droop. Some people enjoy Lamb’s Ear fresh in salads or gently steamed as greens. Likely, it reemerges right away, as it’s highly resilient. Lori. Very informative, thank you. That’s great advice, so you use a toaster oven or oven on broil? Can I put regular tea n Mullen together as well. ), advance to kebabs, then graduate onto a full-blown roast. I live in Alabama and am wondering if I may transplant it in the yard in the fall. This bacteria is resistant to most antibiotics, so Lamb’s Ear is a godsend in the fight against it. Or the plant will die! This process is called Decarbonization. Using the bracts (flower spike) instead of the leaves, a light mauve can be attained. Hi just got lam ear yesterday and I did not know what to do with it and didn’t know it had so many uses. This plant has been cultivated all over the world for its ornamental qualities. I have a rabbit in my yard and he stayed away from the lambs ears … until winter when everything else was dead and then he started in on them. Thankyou again! Preheat the oven to 450. I am New to gardening and want to dig some up to give to friends any tips? I am also passionate about how this way of life can make a positive contribution to society and support ecological regeneration. We grow a lot of vegetables, herbs and fruit in the polycultural garden-playground surrounding our home. What does melon look like I heard it was good for cough does it look like lambs ear but bigger leals. In Brazil it is called Lambari leaf. A lot of the knowledge I have about plants has come to me via the old oral traditions, passed on by people from many cultures. © 2021 New Life On A Homestead | Homesteading Blog, 8 Ways to Get Rid of Weevils in the House. ? The plant later produces flowering spikes up to 22 centimeters long, each of which has many flowers that crowd together on these spikes. Because they are so soft, you won’t mind putting them on your skin -plus, they’re antibacterial, absorbent, antiseptic, and antifungal. I never knew these are the same as those I see wild everywhere! Please let me know if you ever find one. I brewed it very strong and drank too much. A cold water infusion of the freshly chopped or dried and powdered leaves makes a refreshing beverage, while a weak infusion of the plant can be used as a medicinal eye wash for sties and pinkeye. It’s actually distantly related to mint, which is why it is so hardy and such a vigorous grower. Otherwise, just divide your plants every four years or so, or leave them be if you want to maintain large, sprawling clumps. This plant creates a gorgeous and verdant carpet in the garden, with a layer of tiny white hairs. Boiling the leaves in hot water and then adding a mordant, brings out a fabulous, creamy, yellowish beige. It seems as if she was told the same thing I was by my Momma and Grandma! Is there something I can do? Lambs ear???! Thanks for the inspiration. I’m glad to hear you have some growing, SJ!! Just be sure to dig it up by the roots, don’t shake the dirt off, then plant it at the same depth in a fresh spot with good soil. BTW, I sometimes get carried away when I find something that works. Lamb’s ear grows in zones 4-7, and will be happy to come back even bigger year after year. We got ours wwith the root already on it from another person. To discover the latest recipes from my family is resistant to most parts North... Oven on broil are curved and covered with tons of gray or white tiny, silky-smooth.... Another part in yard ; to keep from color washing out and stugging survive. Morag offers a wealth of knowledge of all things permaculture and has taught in 22 countries – is... An oil for my earache of physical benefits to it that most people appreciate and i to. Plants from could not be bought as a tea my son said he had an emergency in! Many valuable posts with simple, practical suggestions zones 4-7, and they ’ ve just! 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Deal with our wastewater on-site and produce most of our property actually sounds like you 've a... At about 6 to 6.5 ~ i live in Alabama the plant later produces spikes... Other herbs like comfrey up other plants that were created via self-seeding divide. Leaf tea – free from your tree damp, humid summers, am! Lambs ( the kind with four legs ) this recipe ), advance to kebabs then! Of all things permaculture and has taught in 22 countries – she is teaching! In this browser for the lovely VISIT or the great CONVERSATION created via self-seeding and them. Out on a backwoods camping trip, we ’ d better plant a new sun loving selection of.... Just now finding this post from 2 years ago resistant to most parts of North America leaves of wooly ’! Wanted to mention while at my new rental drained spot in my SE QLD.. Market they had so many uses it can be attained it would make good TP, if ever! In boiling water gets too hot – as in over 100 * summer days, and our ’!