Where to Buy Lamb’s Ear Plants: The Best Places to Find This Fuzzy Foliage Favorite

Lamb’s ear plants are a must-have for any garden looking to add unique texture and softness. With their velvety, silver-gray leaves, lamb’s ears create an eye-catching focal point or bushy ground cover. If you want to get your hands on these fuzzy-leaved beauties, you may be wondering—where can I find lamb’s ear plants for sale?

I’ve got you covered on the best places to buy lamb’s ear plants so you can add their lavish foliage to your outdoor space. Keep reading to learn all about shopping for lamb’s ears and where to find them from reputable online and local sources

What Are Lamb’s Ear Plants?

Before diving into where to buy them, let’s take a quick look at what exactly lamb’s ear plants are.

Lamb’s ear gets its name from its ultra-soft, furry silver-gray leaves that resemble a lamb’s ear. Their foliage is the star of the show, adding unique texture through their dense, downy leaves.

While called lamb’s ear, their botanical name is Stachys byzantina. Lamb’s ear is a perennial flowering plant in the mint family, native to Turkey, Armenia, and Iran. These herbaceous perennials grow in a low, spreading mound from 6 to 12 inches tall and spread 12 to 18 inches wide.

Lamb’s ear plants produce short spikes of small pink or purple flowers in early summer. However they are grown primarily for their stunning foliage andground cover abilities rather than their blooms.

Some of the most popular lamb’s ear varieties include:

• Helen Von Stein: This big, rugged lamb’s ear plant has the largest leaves, growing up to 12 inches wide! It’s extremely tough and handles more sun and drier conditions.

• Silver Carpet: A low-growing lamb’s ear that hugs the ground as a lush, soft ground cover. It only reaches 4 inches tall but spreads rapidly to about 18 inches.

• Fuzzy Wuzzy: Very compact at just 6 inches tall but spreads fast to 24 inches wide. It has distinctly thick, dense fuzz on the leaves.

• Silky Fleece: Finely textured, silky silver leaves make this variety shine. It stays short at 6 inches tall and spreads 18 inches wide.

No matter which variety you choose, lamb’s ears all share that same soft, velvety foliage that adds flare to gardens, borders, and rock gardens.

Where to Buy Lamb’s Ear Plants

Lamb’s ear plants are one of those staple perennials that you can find just about anywhere during the growing season. Here are some of the best places to get your hands on these fuzzy perennials for your garden.

Local Garden Nurseries

One of the easiest places to find lamb’s ear plants is your local independent garden nursery or garden center. Most local nurseries carry a selection of popular lamb’s ear varieties in the perennial section during spring and summer.

Shopping for plants at local nurseries allows you to see and choose the plants in person rather than ordering online. Make sure the plants have healthy foliage and aren’t rootbound.

The benefit of local nurseries is you can buy plants and take them home the same day. The drawback is selection is limited to what is in stock. Prices can also be higher than buying online.

Big Box Stores

For convenient, cheap plant shopping, big box stores like Home Depot and Lowe’s also typically stock lamb’s ear plants seasonally. You’ll find them along with other perennials usually near the front of the store.

While affordable and readily available, the downside is big box perennials can be generic, less healthy stock. Make sure to inspect plants closely before purchasing. Selection is also limited, but big box stores are an easy option when you need a few lamb’s ear plants quickly.

Mail-Order Nurseries

One of the best selections of lamb’s ear varieties can be found online through mail-order nurseries. Buying plants online offers access to way more plant choices, specialty varieties, and volume discounts.

Reputable online sellers like Wilson Bros Gardens offer tons of popular lamb’s ear plants to choose from. You can select the exact number of plants you need rather than just a couple at a local store. Mail-order plants are also professionally packed and shipped straight to your door.

Be sure to shop early in the growing season for the best selection. Allow extra shipping time for your plants to arrive by mail.

Farmer’s Markets or Plant Sales

Another place to look for great deals on perennials like lamb’s ear is at local farmer’s markets or community plant sales.

Markets and organizations like garden clubs will often have plant sales where home gardeners and small growers sell off divisions from their own gardens. This is a great way to find inexpensive plants from unique sources you won’t find at major retailers.

Selection will vary each sale but tends to focus on more old-fashioned varieties. Shop early for the best choices as these community sales are popular and plants go fast!

When to Buy Lamb’s Ear Plants

Since lamb’s ear is a hardy perennial, you have a wide window for planting through the growing season. But ideally, target spring or fall for purchasing and transplanting lamb’s ear plants.

Spring

Early spring is by far the most popular time to buy and plant perennials like lamb’s ear. Nurseries and garden centers will have the greatest selection each spring.

Aim to plant in spring once the threat of hard frost has passed. This gives plants a few months to establish roots before hot summer weather arrives.

Spring planting allows the most time for lamb’s ear to settle in and achieve full size by fall. Plant in spring for the best results!

Fall

Fall can also be a good time to plant or transplant lamb’s ear starts. Planting in early fall allows plants to root before growth slows down for winter.

Stagger planting over several weeks in autumn to avoid plants sitting in wet soil for extended times. Make sure to water well until the ground freezes.

Lamb’s ears planted in fall won’t achieve full size before winter. But they’ll get a head start on growth and really take off the following spring.

Overwintering Lamb’s Ears

If you buy lamb’s ear plants late in fall after a hard frost, you’ll need to overwinter them. Keep plants in their pots and move to a sheltered location like an unheated garage or cold frame where they are protected from harsh winter winds and extreme cold.

Water sparingly over winter about once a month if rainfall is light. Transplant the starts outdoors the following early spring once the soil warms up.

How to Plant Lamb’s Ear

Lamb’s ear thrives in average garden conditions and is very easy to grow. Here are a few tips for successfully planting your new lamb’s ear starts:

• Sun: Choose a spot with full sun to partial afternoon shade. At least 4-6 hours of sun per day keeps growth compact and foliage lush. Too much shade results in floppy, weaker plants.

• Soil: Lamb’s ears tolerate most soils as long as they drain well. Avoid perpetually wet spots. Amend clay soils with compost to improve drainage before planting.

• Spacing: Space lamb’s ear plants 12-18 inches apart in the garden. They will fill in quickly and spread. Plant just a few for a border or mass plant for a velvety ground cover.

• Planting: Dig holes twice as wide and just as deep as the container root ball. Carefully remove from pots, loosen any circling roots, and place in the holes. Backfill with surrounding soil, tamp down gently, and water well after planting.

• Care: Allow the soil to dry slightly between waterings. Shear plants back halfway in midsummer after flowering to encourage fresh growth. Cut back stems down to several inches above ground level once they fade in fall.

• Hardiness: Lamb’s ear is winter hardy in zones 4-9. It dies back after hard frost but regrows vigorously each spring. Mulch plants in colder zones for extra protection.

With the right growing conditions, lamb’s ear is one tough, trouble-free plant. It practically takes care of itself with minimal care needed.

Add Soft, Succulent Lamb’s Ear Foliage to Your Garden

Lamb’s ear is a must for any garden looking for unique texture and contrast. With proper planting and care, lamb’s ears thrive with their stunning silver foliage that feels as good as it looks.

Now that you know where to find lamb’s ear plants for sale near you, you can start planning the perfect spot to show off their lush, lavish leaves. Nurseries, garden centers, plant sales, and online mail-order are all great options to find lamb’s ear plants.

Shop early in the spring or fall growing season for the healthiest plant selection. Then enjoy watching your new lamb’s ear spread into a focal point ground cover or soft border that plays beautifully with other perennials, roses, and shrubs.

In no time, you’ll have a thriving patch of this fuzzy foliage favorite! Lamb’s ear plants are sure to add many years of velvety soft texture and unique beauty to your garden.