Lady's mantle: location, varieties and care

Lady's mantle not only has a lot to offer as a companion plant for 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 to walk through your garden in the morning and see the dewdrops forming on the leaves of lady's mantle (Alchemilla) have collected. In this article, you will learn everything there is to know about growing this ancient medicinal herb, below other things about important types of lady's mantle, location requirements or how to properly cultivate lady's mantle cuts back.

Lady's mantle: flower, origin and properties

Lady's mantle is a perennial herbaceous 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 is used as an ornamental plant thanks to its ground-covering Properties, the ornamental leaves and the yellowish-green flowers are a popular combination partner for a large number of perennials. Conveniently, lady's mantle is one of the very snail-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, during which small, inconspicuous nut fruits are formed, which serve to spread them.

Tip: The lady's mantle owes its Latin name to another phenomenon, the formation of dewdrops. Druids and alchemists collected the water from the chalices to synthesize magical remedies, gold or the philosopher's stone - this is how the generic name came about Alchemilla. However, the water on the foliage is often not dew at all, but is secreted by the plants themselves at the leaf edge, which is called gutation.

Risk of confusion with lady's mantle: In the case of 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 he wear the so-called Ackerfrauenmantel (Aphanes), an annual herb often found in winter crop fields. 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 large number 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 presented here.

Ordinary Lady's Mantle (Alchemilla vulgaris): The ordinary lady's mantle is sometimes also called Alchemilla xanthochlora designated, 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 (Alchemillamollis): Its habitat requirements are similar to those of the common 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 plant in many gardens.

Silver lady's cloak (Alchemilla hopeana): It is characterized by its shimmering silver foliage and often blooms 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.

Petite lady's mantle (Alchemilla epipsila): It is more delicate and compact than the soft lady's mantle that is otherwise commonly used. Compared to this, the dainty lady's mantle has some advantages: For example, that it sows much less heavily and does not lie on the ground after rainy weather, but is stable remains. This makes the dainty lady's mantle particularly suitable for planting in narrow beds or pots.

Little lady's mantle (Alchemilla erythropoda): It is smaller and grows more slowly than its larger 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 Alchemilla vulgaris and Alchemilla mollis are too big and vigorous.

Dwarf Lady's Mantle (Alchemilla faeroensis ssp. Pumila): As its name already suggests, 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 demands that lady's mantle places on the site vary. 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, especially with the large species watch out as they grow quickly and the plant will develop a creeping rootstock over time forms. Therefore, wide pots and planters are more suitable.

Lady's mantle can be planted from spring to autumn, with spring being the most suitable time, as it is usually not too dry at this 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 comes into its own when planted in groups.

Lady's mantle species with high nutrient requirements, such as the soft lady's mantle, should be planted in pre-fertilized substrates. For example, our Plantura organic universal soil be used, 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.

Lady's mantle care: 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 is suitable for this Organic universal fertilizer, but well-rotted manure or compost can also be used. It is best to fertilize in the spring, as the plant then sprout again and can use the nutrients from the fertilizer directly.
Lady's mantle should be watered regularly during longer periods of drought.

Lady's mantle likes to self-seed and thus 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 anyway wither, since lady's mantle is not wintergreen and will sprout again 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.

Lady's mantle propagate by division

• First cut out the piece to be transplanted with the spade all around. Since lady's mantle spreads through its roots, you have to pierce some of them.
• 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 the perennial piece can be divided into fist-sized root balls, for example with a spade or an old knife.
• The perennial pieces can then be planted in the desired location. It is important to water the plants well in the near future until they are firmly established and have developed a powerful root system.

Lady's mantle propagate by seed

• Lady's mantle is a light and frost germ. The latter means its seeds should be sown as early as October to January to be stimulated to germinate by the cold temperatures.
• To do this, sprinkle the seeds of the lady's mantle in a shallow dish on soil and press them down, only slightly covering them with soil.
• Outside, the bowl is placed 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 the spring, the seedlings can then be planted in the desired location in the garden.

Hardiness and overwintering

The species of lady's mantle that are widespread in our country 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 the 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. For this purpose, 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. A tea made from the leaves or flowers of the plant can also help with colds or mild gastrointestinal complaints. The healing effect of lady's mantle is due to the tannins, flavonoids and bitter substances it contains. During pregnancy, however, the use of the lady's mantle should be avoided, as complications with the uterus can occur due to the antispasmodic effect.

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, it can cause nausea due to the high tannin content.

Lady's mantle beautifies your garden without requiring much maintenance. If you are interested in more undemanding plants, you can find some examples in our article on easy-care garden plants.