Late last summer, a rosette of velvety leaves appeared near the edge of a field on our Littleton farm. Covered with silver-white hairs, the leaves persisted through the winter and, within the past few days, the plant has sent up stalks with small purple flowers.
Our newcomer is lamb's ear, native to Turkey and Iran. Often planted as an ornamental in flower gardens, this herb can become naturalized in sunny, dry regions, explaining its sudden appearance on our Front Range property. Long used for a variety of medicinal purposes, lamb's ear is easily maintained; it tolerates poor soil and does best with full sun exposure. Since it is drought tolerant and attracts butterflies, it is a welcome addition to our farm.
One of the joys of owning a piece of land, however small, is the discovery of flora and fauna never before encountered. Of course, shunning the use of pesticides and herbicides and foregoing artificial irrigation will greatly increase such opportunities.
