Pruning Winter Damage On Lambs Ear

Question

I’ve been researching this. Half say to wait until all danger of frost to remove winter damage. The other half says to remove damaged leaves when you see new growth. It’s mid March and I’m in zone 5, so last frost could be as late as the beginning of May… a long way off. However, there is quite a bit of new growth underneath the mats of dead leaves. If I prune now, will the frost/freeze damage the new growth? Or if I wait to prune, will the dead mats smother my new growth and either kill it or keep it from reaching its full potential? I need advice.

Answer 1

It's best to wait till spring because if you prune before winter's end, the plant is vulnerable to even more damage. The thought is that leaving the damaged foliage may protect against winter's snow and ice. But you can use your judgement as to when you think the worst of winter is over. A freeze could affect new growth, but snow generally protects plants from the harsh cold. If the new growth does die back, you should still get more new growth.