- Lady's mantle: flower, origin and properties
- The most beautiful types of lady's mantle
- Cultivation of Lady's Mantle: Location, Planting Distance and Co.
- Care for lady's mantle: cut, fertilize and water
- Increase lady's mantle
- Winter hardiness and overwintering
- Harvesting and using lady's mantle
- Is lady's mantle poisonous?
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Lady's mantle not only has a lot to offer as a companion plant to roses. Apart from that, the medicinal herb, which has been known for a long time, has many uses in the garden and kitchen.
It is a special phenomenon when you walk through your garden in the morning and see the dewdrops that have collected on the leaves of lady's mantle (Alchemilla). In this article you will learn everything you need to know about growing this ancient medicinal herb, including important species of lady's mantle, habitat requirements or how to prune lady's mantle properly.
Lady's mantle: flower, origin and properties
Lady's mantle is a herbaceous perennial plant that can reach a height of 5 to 50 centimeters depending on the species. Their leaves are rounded, lobed and hairy on the underside. The lady's mantle owes its German name to the leaves, as they resemble the cloak of the Virgin Mary, which is often depicted folded. In addition, the lady's mantle is often used in gynecology.
The lady's mantle genus is native to Europe, but also to Asia and the Balkans. In the north, its range even extends to Russia. In nature, it is mainly found on sunny, damp meadows and on slopes. Lady's mantle belongs to the rose family (Rosaceae) and as an ornamental plant is a popular combination partner for a variety of perennials thanks to its ground-covering properties, decorative leaves and yellowish-green flowers. Conveniently, lady's mantle is one of the very slug-resistant plants.
The flowering period of the lady's mantle extends from May to August. Then many small, yellow-green flowers appear, which stand together in dense inflorescences, so-called cymes. This is followed in September by seed ripening, in which small, inconspicuous nut fruits are formed that are used for dispersal.
Tip: The lady's mantle owes its Latin name to another phenomenon, the formation of dewdrops. druids and alchemistscollected the water from the leaf calyces in order to synthesize magical remedies, gold or the philosopher's stone - this is how the genus nameAlchemilla came about. However, the water on the foliage is often not dew at all, but is secreted by the plants themselves at the leaf margin, which is called gutation.
Risk of confusion with lady's mantle: With lady's mantle, there is actually only a risk of confusion between the different types of lady's mantle. However, this does not pose any risks, since all varieties of lady's mantle that are common in our country are non-toxic. Rarely can it be confused with the so-called Field Lady's Mantle (Aphanes), an annual herb often found in fields of winter grain. In this case, however, the leaves are more incised and do not form a calyx.
The most beautiful types of lady's mantle
There are a variety of different types of lady's mantle with a wide variety of properties and requirements, so that a suitable representative can be found for almost every location and desire. Some of the most popular types are briefly introduced here.
Common lady's mantle (Alchemilla vulgaris): Common lady's mantle is sometimes also calledAlchemilla xanthochlora, prefers damp, sunny to semi-shady locations and grows up to 50 cm high. It is the species most commonly used in medicinal medicine.
Soft Lady's Mantle (Alchemilla mollis):Its habitat requirements are similar to those of Lady's Mantle. The soft lady's mantle prefers loamy-sandy, rather acidic soil. With its beautiful, large and velvety leaves, it is a popular and well-established ornamental in many gardens.
Silver lady's mantle (Alchemilla hoppeana): It is characterized by its shimmering silver foliage and often flowers until October. The silver lady's mantle is only about 15 cm high and feels at home in stony rock gardens, i.e. in permeable, humus and nutrient poor soil.
Delicate Lady's Mantle (Alchemilla epipsila): It is more delicate and compact than the usual one commonly used soft lady's mantle. Compared to this, the dainty lady's mantle has some advantages: For example, that it sows much less and does not lie on the ground after rainy weather, but remains stable. This makes the dainty lady's mantle particularly suitable for planting in narrow beds or pots.
Lesser Mantle (Alchemilla erythropoda): It is smaller and grows slower than his big relatives. In addition, the Lesser Lady's Mantle does not sow as much and is more tolerant of shade and drought. This makes it a very good alternative for those who find Alchemilla vulgaris and Alchemillamollis are too big and strong-growing.
Dwarf Lady's Mantle (Alchemilla faeroensis ssp. Pumila): Like its name already it is very small with a growth height of only 2-5 cm and will especially delight friends of miniature plants and pot gardeners. The dwarf lady's mantle also feels most comfortable in sunny, stony locations.
Cultivation of Lady's Mantle: Location, Planting Distance and Co.
Depending on the species, the lady's mantle makes different demands on the site. In terms of soil, they range from moist and nutrient-rich to rocky, well-drained and rather nutrient-poor. However, what all species have in common is the need for sunlight. Lady's mantle can also be grown in tubs, but you should be particularly careful with the large species, as they grow quickly and the plant forms a creeping rootstock over time. Therefore, wide pots and planters are more suitable.
Lady's mantle can be planted from spring to autumn. Spring is the most suitable time, as it is usually not too dry at that time. In addition, there is enough time for a proper regrowth before the next winter. The planting distance depends on the species and ranges from 25 cm for the dwarf lady's mantle to 40 cm for the soft and common lady's mantle. Lady's Mantle looks best when planted in groups.
Lady's mantle species with high nutrient requirements,like the lady's mantle, should be planted in pre-fertilized substrates. For example, our Plantura organic universal soil can be used for this, which is nutrient-rich but peat-free to protect the environment. It ensures a balanced and long-lasting supply of nutrients. For species that require more permeable, nutrient-poor soil, the soil should be mixed with sand if necessary.
Care for lady's mantle: cut, fertilize and water
Lady's mantle is very frugal when it comes to grooming. Since it is one of the more nutrient-consuming plants, it is happy about a little fertilizer from time to time. Our organic universal fertilizer is suitable for this, but well-rotted manure or compost can also be used. It is best to fertilize in the spring, as the plant will then sprout again and can then use the nutrients from the fertilizer directly.
During longer periods of drought, lady's mantle should be watered regularly.
Lady's mantle likes to self-seed and spreads quickly and extensively in the garden. If you want to prevent this, it makes sense to cut the lady's mantle right after flowering, i.e. before the fruits are ripe and the seeds are distributed. In addition, this promotes the budding in the next year. Don't be afraid to prune it back to just above ground level, the leaves would wither anyway as lady's mantle is not evergreen and will sprout from the rootstock in spring.
Increase lady's mantle
Lady's mantle can be propagated both by seed and by division, although it is usually easier to propagate lady's mantle by division. If you want to divide the plants, it is best to choose a time in autumn or spring.
Increasing lady's mantle by division
- First cut out the piece to be transplanted with the spade all around. Since lady's mantle spreads through its roots, some of them need to be pierced.
- If the section is free, you can pry it out of the ground with a spade. Do not pull it out by the leaves as they tear easily.
- Now you can use a spade or an old knife to break up the perennial into root balls about the size of your fist.
- The perennial pieces can then be planted in the desired location. It is important to water the plants well in the near future untilthey are firmly established and have developed an efficient root system.
Propagating Lady's Mantle by Seeds
- Lady's mantle germinates in light and frost. The latter means its seeds should be sown as early as October to January to be encouraged to germinate by the cold temperatures.
- Scatter the seeds of the lady's mantle in a shallow dish on the soil and press them down, only slightly covering them with soil.
- Outside, place the pot in a sheltered, sunny spot. Given sufficient moisture, the seeds will germinate after exposure to the winter cold as soon as it warms up again.
- From spring onwards, the seedlings can then be planted in the desired location in the garden.
Winter hardiness and overwintering
The species of lady's mantle that are common here are hardy to at least -20 °C. The foliage may die off, but the plant will sprout from the rootstock again in spring. In very cold winters, however, you can cover the root area with some brushwood or leaves to protect it.
Harvesting and using lady's mantle
Both the leaves and the flowers of lady's mantle can be harvested and used. In order to build up a winter supply, you can dry part of the crop. The best time to harvest lady's mantle is therefore in late spring and early summer. With its slightly bitter, sour taste, the lady's mantle is used mainly because of its healing properties and only rarely as a spice in the kitchen. You can use the young leaves of the lady's mantle for wild herb soups and salads. Only the young, fresh leaves are really suitable for this, as they have a stronger aroma when dried. Lady's mantle can also be used for soft drinks in combination with fruit juices. To do this, the herb is first boiled in water and then cooled.
Lady's mantle is attributed to a variety of healing effects. Among other things, it is said to have a digestive, antispasmodic, anti-inflammatory, antibacterial and analgesic effect. Since the Middle Ages, it has therefore often been used in gynecology, for example for menstrual problems or during menopause. Even with colds or light onesA tea made from the leaves or flowers of the plant may help gastrointestinal complaints. The healing effect of lady's mantle is due to the tannins, flavonoids and bitter substances it contains. During pregnancy, however, you should refrain from using the lady's mantle, as the antispasmodic effect can lead to complications with the uterus.
Is lady's mantle poisonous?
No species of lady's mantle is poisonous. This applies to both humans and animals. However, if you eat too large amounts, the high tannin content can cause nausea.
Lady's mantle beautifies your garden without requiring much maintenance. If you're interested in more easy-care plants, you can find some examples in our article on low-maintenance garden plants.