Yes, lamb's ear winter survival is strong across a wide range of climates. Your plants will make it through winter in USDA zones 4a through 9b without much help from you. That covers most of the country, from cold northern states down to the warm South. Lamb's ear is tougher than it looks.
I've watched my lamb's ear go through harsh winters and come back every single spring. The leaves turn brown and flatten under snow by late December. The whole patch looks dead and I used to worry I'd lost it. But by mid-March, tiny silvery-green rosettes push up from the crown and the plant fills back in fast. Lamb's ear cold hardiness surprised me that first year. The plants bounced back from -10°F (-23°C) nights without any cover at all.
You need to know the difference between two winter issues. Normal winter dieback happens when the top leaves brown and die back to the crown. This is fine and your plant will recover on its own in spring. Crown meltout is the real problem. This happens when wet winter soil keeps the center of your plant soggy for too long. The crown rots from the inside out and you lose the whole clump. Your soil drainage matters more in winter than any other time of year for lamb's ear cold hardiness.
UW Extension found that the Big Ears cultivar bounces back from winter damage faster than Cotton Boll does. If you live in a cold zone and want the quickest spring comeback, Big Ears is your best bet. NC State Extension confirms that lamb's ear handles temperatures down to -30°F (-34°C) in zone 4a. That's serious cold and your plant can take it as long as the soil drains well underneath.
Overwintering lamb's ear takes less work than you might expect. The most important step is to stop watering your plants in fall once the growing season ends. Let the soil dry out before winter hits so your crowns aren't sitting in damp ground when freezes start. Don't cut back the dead brown foliage in autumn either. Those old leaves act as a natural blanket that shields the crown from ice and wind.
One mistake to avoid is piling mulch right on top of your lamb's ear crown. Mulch traps moisture against the plant and causes the same rot problems as wet soil. If you want to add a layer of protection, spread 2 inches (5 cm) of mulch around the plant but leave the crown itself exposed. Your lamb's ear needs air flow around its center to stay dry and healthy through the cold months.
Wait until spring to clean up your plants. Once you see fresh new growth pushing out from the center, you can pull away the brown dead leaves by hand. Overwintering lamb's ear is that simple. Give your plants good drainage, skip the fall watering, leave the old foliage alone, and let nature do the rest. You'll have a fresh silver carpet by the time warm weather settles in for good. My neighbor panicked one February and ripped out her whole patch thinking it was dead. I showed her my equally brown and flat plants and told her to wait. She replanted a few starts in spring and now she knows better than to give up on them early. Your patience in late winter will pay off every single time with this hardy plant.
Read the full article: Lamb's Ear Plant Care and Growing Guide
