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The Soft Ground Cover Plant That'll Kick Weeds To The Curb
By KATHY BATES
Weeds in your garden can be infuriating, but there are many ways to get rid of them. Besides using chemicals or pulling them by hand, groundcover plants like lamb’s ear can help.
Lamb's ear is a low, fast-growing groundcover with beautiful gray, fuzzy leaves that can add texture to any outdoor space. It grows stalks with purple blooms in the summer.
It prefers well-drained soil and full sun and is drought- and pest-resistant. Most varieties grow less than 18 inches tall and can spread from 1 to 3 feet wide.
It is quick to grow, giving weeds no space to sprout or time to get established. It spreads with a thick mat of roots that are both underground and where leaf nodes touch the soil.
Lamb's ear also shades the ground, preventing weed seeds from getting the sunlight they need to flourish. Care must be taken not to let it creep and smother other plants.
In the late spring and summer, the plant's flowers also attract bees and butterflies. Cutting off the flowers can create a compact plant with more attractive leaves.