It’s leafy, it’s vigorous, and it’s chartreuse. Alchemilla mollis, aka lady’s mantle, aka “that dang leafy thing that grows fast,” is a familiar plant in many gardens.
We link to vendors to help you find relevant products. If you buy from one of our links, we may earn a commission.
You’ve probably seen it before, whether you realized it or not, and today we’re going to cover all you need to know about this tenacious perennial to grow it at home.
Lady’s mantle is a plant requiring very little care or attention, so your notes here will be short. You have permission to doodle instead, go ahead, it’s okay. Let’s dive in, shall we?
What Is Lady’s Mantle?Regular readers who recognize my name won’t be surprised to see that I’ve written about lady’s mantle.
I have a strong preference for tough and independent plants. It might actually be an obsession, but we’ll stick with “strong preference.”
You’ll recognize lady’s mantle by its palmate, scalloped leaves, complete with serrated edges.
It’s a simple and understated chartreuse and will develop a lovely spray of yellowish-green flowers in the late spring and early summer.
With vigorous cutbacks, it’s possible to get a second display in the fall.
Many types of Alchemilla exist and all have similar care requirements.
The focus of this article is on Alchemilla mollis, the most commonly encountered species in the garden. When people say “lady’s mantle,” they are almost always referring to A. mollis.
Cultivation and HistoryA. mollis is a low-growing, herbaceous perennial that can happily grow in USDA Zones 3 through 8.
Calling it “hardy” is an understatement. Gardeners possessing experience with lady’s mantle know it’s closer to super hardy, and can even
Read more on gardenerspath.com