Shrubby hare’s-ear

Shrubby hare’s-ear: how do you recognise it?

Habit

Rounded, rather loose shrub 1–1.5 m high and wide, with thin, upright to arching shoots.

Leaves

Oblong-oval, 5–9 cm, leathery and smooth-edged; blue-green above, paler beneath. Evergreen.

Flowers

Flat compound umbels 7–10 cm across made up of dozens of small yellow flowers, from July to September.

Fruit

Small, ribbed brown seeds in the faded umbels, which stay on into autumn.

Roots

Deep and sturdy: it copes well with drought but resents being moved.

Flowering: July–September · Plants: April–May · Pruning: April

Why grow it?

• Yellow flower umbels from July to September, when most shrubs have finished.
• A busy nectar source for bees, hoverflies and other insects.
• Evergreen blue-green foliage that gives a calm colour all year.
• Tolerates drought, chalk and salty sea wind: ideal for a coastal garden or a dry, sunny bank.
• Little work: a light prune in April is enough.

Shrubby hare’s-ear: where does it grow best?

• Full sun; in shade it grows lax and flowers poorly.
• Free-draining soil: sand, loam or clay, preferably neutral to chalky.
• Dry: it will not tolerate wet feet in winter.
• Withstands wind and salty sea air; inland, give it a warm spot.
• Allow 1–1.5 m per plant; for an informal hedge, 70–80 cm between plants.

Light

Sun

Soil type

Sand, loam or clay

Acidity

Neutral or chalky

Moisture

Dry

Size

1.5 m tall, 1.5 m wide

Hardiness

Hardy (to -15 °C)

Goes well with

• Russian sage: Lavender-blue spires beside the yellow umbels in late summer.
• Lavender: A fragrant purple foreground in the same dry, sunny spot.
• Rock rose: Another Mediterranean evergreen shrub, with large flowers in early summer.
• Blue oat grass: A blue-grey grass that echoes the blue-green leaves.

Shrubby hare’s-ear: when and how to plant it?

Plant in April–May.

1. Plant in April–May so it is well established before winter.
2. Dig a hole twice as wide as the root ball; improve heavy soil with coarse sand or fine gravel.
3. Do not add fertiliser: in poor soil it stays more compact.
4. Set the plant at the same depth as in the pot and firm the soil well.
5. Water generously at planting and during long dry spells in the first summer.
6. Mulch with gravel if you like, to keep the base dry.

Care

Water

Only in dry spells during the first year. After that, extra water is rarely needed.

Feeding

Not needed; rich soil makes it soft and less hardy.

Faded umbels

Leave them in autumn: they are decorative and shelter insects. Cut them off in April.

Moving

Best avoided: older plants re-establish poorly. Choose the right spot from the start.

In a pot

Can be grown in a large pot of free-draining compost; water regularly in summer.

Tip: Give it the driest, sunniest spot in the garden and leave the faded umbels until April: they look good in autumn and give insects somewhere to shelter.

Shrubby hare’s-ear: when to prune it?

Pruning months: April.

When: In April, once the worst frosts are over. Light pruning is enough.

How:

• Cut off last year’s faded umbels to just above a few healthy leaves.
• Shorten overlong or lopsided shoots to keep the shrub compact.
• Remove frosted or dead wood back to healthy growth.
• An older, misshapen shrub can be cut back by about a third in April.

Caution: Do not prune in autumn: the cuts and new shoots would then be vulnerable to frost.

Pruning: when and how · Pruning calendar and basic rules

Propagation

Semi-ripe cuttings

In July–August, 10 cm cuttings from non-flowering shoots, in a sandy cutting mix under plastic. Overwinter the young plants frost-free and plant out in spring.

Seed

Collect ripe seed in autumn and sow it in spring in a tray in a cold frame or unheated greenhouse. Prick out the seedlings carefully, as they soon form a taproot.

Shrubby hare’s-ear: how does it get through the winter?

Hardy to −15 °C: protect young plants.

• Hardy to about −15 °C: most Belgian winters are no problem in a sunny, free-draining spot.
• In a severe winter the leaves may brown or some shoots die back; it usually reshoots in spring.
• Wet soil in winter is more dangerous than the cold itself.
• In a pot: keep it dry and sheltered against a wall and wrap the pot.

Diseases and pests

• Root rot: The plant wilts and dies back on wet, heavy soil. Plant in a free-draining spot, on a mound if necessary.
• Frost damage: Brown leaves and dead shoots after a hard winter. Wait until April and cut back to healthy wood.
• Few flowers: A sign of too much shade or overly rich soil. Give it full sun and stop feeding.
• Lax, open growth: Happens in shade or after years without pruning. Prune lightly in April and choose a sunnier spot.

Through the year

• March: Check for winter damage. Hold off pruning.
• April: Prune and remove old umbels. Plant.
• May: Plant. Water young plants in dry weather.
• July: Flowering begins. Take semi-ripe cuttings.
• August: In full flower. Bees and hoverflies.
• September: Last flowers. Let the seed ripen.
• October: Collect seed. Leave the faded umbels.
• December: Dormant. Blue-green leaves in the winter garden.

Good for wildlife

Bees

Nectar and pollen for honeybees and wild bees.

Did you know?

• It is one of the few shrubs in the carrot family, which also includes carrot, fennel and parsley.
• The name Bupleurum comes from Greek words for ‘ox’ and ‘rib’.
• Its open umbels offer easily reached nectar, so they attract many short-tongued insects such as hoverflies.