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Lamb's Ear (Stachys byzantina) | $9.99 | 4-inch pot
🌿 Quick Facts: • Native Status: Non-native (Turkey, Armenia, Iran) • USDA Growing Zones: 4-8 • Height: 8-18 inches foliage; flower spikes 12-18 inches • Spread: 12-18 inches, spreading by runners
🌺 Bloom Details: • Season: Late spring to early summer • Colors: Purplish-pink to rose; spikes appear silver-woolly • Flower Type: Whorled tiers of small tubular flowers on felted silver spikes • Bloom Period: May-July
☀️ Growing Requirements: • Sun: Full sun (part shade acceptable, with more rot risk) • Water: Low — drought tolerant; resents overwatering • Soil: Average to lean, sharply drained; poor soil is fine; wet conditions rot the leaves • Spacing: 12-18 inches apart
🦋 Pollinator Benefits: • Birds: Some birds gather the leaf wool for nesting material • Native Bees: Bumblebees work the flower spikes heavily • Butterflies: Modest nectar value • Beneficial Insects: Attracts hoverflies & small wasps; the silver mat shelters ground beetles
🌱 Plant Care: • Spring: Rake out winter-matted leaves; divide to control spread • Summer: Remove flower spikes for a pure foliage effect; water sparingly • Fall: Clean out dead leaves for airflow; thin runners • Winter: Semi-evergreen — do NOT mulch over the crown, it traps moisture and rots
🤝 Companion Planting: • Perfect paired with:
✨ Unique Characteristics: • Unmatched soft silver-felt texture • Irresistible in kids' and sensory gardens • Thrives on neglect and drought • Deer and rabbit proof • Superb foil for blue and magenta neighbors • Spreads by runners — best as a ground cover