Description
Typically, lady’s mantles are clump-forming plants with spreading stems called rhizomes. Superhydrophobic (very water-repellent), deeply lobed, and coated with fine hairs are characteristics of the basal leaves. The color of the leaf ranges from pale green to olive green. Rhizomes that extend up to two feet or more are used by plants to spread very slowly.
Habitat
Alchemilla vulgaris is a common plant found throughout mainland Europe as well as Britain and Ireland. There are records of this plant existing in Greenland as well.
Uses
A nutritional supplement called Lady’s Mantle offers a number of health advantages. It has been demonstrated to aid in lowering inflammation, enhancing digestion, and lowering the risk of several cancers. It is also known to help lower the risk of stroke, heart disease, and improve skin health.
Varieties
There are numerous well-known varieties of lady’s mantle available, including:
Alchemilla mollis ‘Thriller’: Compared to most other lady’s mantles, this cultivar has bigger leaves and a more erect growth habit, reaching up to two feet.
Alchemilla mollis ‘Auslese’: This variety has bigger leaves and upright lime-green blooms.
Alchemilla mollis ‘Irish Silk’: This cultivar flowers abundantly and can reach a height of two feet.
Alchemilla mollis ‘Robusta’: This variation can reach heights and widths of up to two feet, and its leaves are bigger.
Plant Care
- Light
Lady’s mantle grows incredibly well in full sun to light shade, and it can even withstand almost total shade. To prevent sunburn on the leaves, it will prefer some afternoon shade in extremely hot areas.
- Soil
Lady’s mantle doesn’t care too much about the pH of the soil, although it thrives in slightly acidic to neutral soil that is between 6 and 6.5.
- Water
Once established, these plants are drought-tolerant, though they dislike sitting in moist soil. Nonetheless, frequent watering is necessary to keep the leaves from drying up and becoming brown under intense heat or direct sunlight. To keep the soil cool and retain moisture, mulch the area surrounding the plant, but do not cover the stem. Because the lady’s mantle prefers to hug the ground, avoid covering the plant with mulch.
- Temperature and Humidity
Although lady’s mantle plants are adaptable to many different conditions, they frequently require lots of shade in hot climes.
High humidity areas could have some fungal issues, especially if the crown is maintained wet. If fungal disease is an issue, adequate air circulation and letting the soil dry out a little between waterings might be helpful.
- Fertilizer
Fertilizing lady’s mantle plants is rarely required unless the soil is very poor. If so, you can mix in a little amount of organic fertilizer with slow release around planting time and reapply it every year.
