Lamb's wool Stachys byzantina

Lamb's ear is a popular silver-leaved, semi-evergreen, herbaceous perennial ground cover in the mint family (Lamiaceae). It is native to the rocky hills of Turkey, the Caucasus and Iran. The genus name, Stachys, is Greek and comes from a word meaning "ear of corn." The species epithet is Latin and means "of Byzantine."

Lamb's ear grows well in average, dry to medium, very well-drained soils in full sun to partial shade. Avoid overwatering as wet leaves invite disease, as do high-humidity summers. The plant likes some afternoon shade, particularly in the hot summer. It spreads by stems rooting at the nodes and can be aggressive in good conditions. Division of the plant may be required about every 2 to 4 years. The plant is deer-resistant and moderately drought-tolerant once established.

The plant grows into a dense clump of thick, soft, velvety, silver-green leaves that form a low-spreading groundcover. They are evergreen in warmer climates. In summer, tiny, purplish-pink flowers appear that are best removed to enhance the foliage and to help maintain its compact habit. 

The soft, fuzzy leaves make an excellent addition to a children's or sensory garden. It also works in cottage gardens, English formal gardens, winter gardens and rock gardens.  Plant it along a border front or walkway, or it may also be grown in containers. In hot, humid areas, consider planting Lamb's ear on a hill or slope to prevent root rot.

Quick ID Hints:

• groundcover with silvery-green leaves
• the leaves are thick, soft, velvety, oblong-elliptical, woolly, and may be unpleasantly aromatic
• the basal leaves are in rosettes
• leaf size varies depending on the cultivar
• the flowers are purplish-pink, erect, spikes or racemes that bloom in the summer

Insects, Disease, and Other Plant Problems: Susceptible to leaf rot with high humidity or excessive rain.

VIDEO created by Andy Pulte for “Landscape Plant Identification, Taxonomy and Morphology” a plant identification course offered by the Department of Plant Sciences, University of Tennessee.