Interesting Alternative to Miniature Hosta

Drimiopsis maculata is a diminutive groundcover, reaching only 6 to 8 inches. Common names include Little White Soldiers, African False Hosta, and Spotted Leopard Lily or simply, Leopard Lily. The “white soldiers” name refers to the spring and summer flowers, which are small, tightly packed clusters that look like a white Grape Hyacinth. The “lily” reference is to the bulb, which is fleshy like a Daffodil rather than overlapping scales like a Lily or Garlic.

Leopard Lily is listed as cold-hardy in zones 8-10, but has grown well for me in Zone 7b for many years. It has the same cultural needs as most Hosta – moist soil with acidic to neutral pH, part to full shade. Leaves emerge directly from the bulb, without stems. Its purple freckles are darker in more shade. The spots may fade away later in the summer. Given a little fertilizer and irrigation during dry periods, Leopard Lily will spread reliably if not rapidly. It will withstand some drought; wilted leaves are a plea for moisture. They are quite tolerant of heat and humidity.

‘Blue Mouse Ears’ or other miniature Hosta make a beautiful edging for a shady bed, but frequently slugs damage those in the Mary Snoddy garden. Leopard Lilies make an attractive edging also, and are rarely bothered by slugs. Voles have never damaged mine, but that may be a case of luck rather than their distaste for the bulbs. Plants also do well in containers but pot-grown specimens are more prone to cold damage.

Like Hosta, Leopard Lily goes completely dormant in winter. Plants are propagated by dividing clumps of bulbs. This can be done at any time of the year but spring is preferred.

A note on the taxonomy of Drimiopsis maculata: There is disagreement between sources as to whether it belongs in the Hyacinth, Lily or Asparagus family (Hyacinthaceae, Liliaceae, or Aparagaceae). The word maculata means “spotted,” and everyone agrees on that.

Divided & ready for a new home

Fully grown plant

Tough Love for Lambs Ears

One of my favorite plants for edging is Lamb’s Ears, Stachys byzantia ‘Helen von Stein.’ Like other plants with fuzzy gray leaves, it is heat and drought tolerant. I use clumps of it along the edge of a driveway, where summer heat makes the asphalt as hot as molten lava.  It looks good winter and summer – until suddenly it doesn’t. The lower leaves turn yellow, then gray, and shrivel.  Grab your pruners and show a little tough love!

Here is a photo of Lamb’s Ears that need renovating. From a distance, the plant appears fine, but a closer look will reveal dead leaves at the base. There are three methods of bringing them back to beauty. First, you can use a leaf rake and just rake the heck out of them. This will remove all the tattered leaves, but also damages the attractive new growth. Second, you can run over them with a bagging lawnmower set at the highest setting. The third method is my favorite. I use a pair of hand pruners to remove all the older leaves, the good ones as well as the ragged ones.

Dead leaves hiding underneath the pretty ones

Here is a photo of the trimmed plant. It looks pretty radical, but a sprinkle of liquid fertilizer will cause a quick regeneration. 

After a radical trim

Here is the same plant, nine weeks after the scalping.

Rejuvenated plant is beautiful again!

Children love touching the felt-like leaves of Lamb’s Ears.  The gray-green color looks good with almost any other color except chartreuse or yellow (my opinion only – yours may be different). They are especially attractive when paired with pink, rose, or hot shades of red and orange. Use them to create peace between flower colors that might clash. Between red and purple, for instance.

Mature Lamb’s Ears will throw lilac flowers. I remove the bloom stems since I think they detract from the velvety leaves. Skip overhead watering or excess irrigation to avoid leaf and stem rot. Do not use heavy mulch near the plant’s base. I have never experienced insect issues with those in the Mary Snoddy garden, but the large leaves do provide a nice shady spot for snails to siesta during the daytime.