Stachys byzantina
Stachys byzantina
Stachys byzantina
Stachys byzantina
Stachys byzantina
Stachys byzantina
Stachys byzantina
Lamb's Ear, Bear's Ear, Wooly Betony, Bunnies' Ears, Mouse Ear, Rabbit Ear, Woolly Woundwort, Cat's Ear, Lamb's Tongue, Lamb's Wool
I bought two plants last year. Now one is a bit sickly, but the other has taken over the whole space – it’s magnificent. The flowering is far from spectacular, but what foliage! They are planted in full sun in rather dry ground and cope well in those conditions.
Hélène, 31/05/2026
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Description
Stachys byzantina is nicknamed "lamb's ear" for the softness of its silvery-grey woolly foliage that we big kids like to stroke like the fur of a small animal. This perennial ground cover quickly forms a very dense, evergreen carpet, providing a beautiful touch of elegance to rocky and dry areas of the garden throughout the year, which are often difficult to plant. From spring to summer, its equally grey and woolly spike-like inflorescences bear tiny pink-violet flowers. Its cultivation is very simple, and its water needs are low. Don't hesitate to plant lamb's ears; even children will love it!
Stachys byzantina (synonym: Stachys lanata) is a plant from the Lamiaceae family. This perennial plant with trailing rhizomes is native to Eurasian calcicolous meadows, and it is distributed from Iran to Turkey, Armenia, and Azerbaijan. It prefers well-drained but preferably loose and deep soil. It is highly resistant to cold and is well adapted to summer drought. Its fast-growing trailing rootstock produces basal rosettes of long oval leaves, measuring 10cm (4in) long and 2.5cm (1in) wide, with crenate margins, entirely covered with woolly and very soft bristles. The foliage reaches a height of 20 to 25cm (8 to 10in). When it rains, the green colour of the lamina reappears under this grey fuzz. The drier the soil, the lighter, even almost white, the foliage will appear. Flowering takes place from June to August, depending on the region. The rosettes produce cottony-looking flower spikes. Their square section stem, 40cm (16in) tall, bears small leaves that become shorter towards the top. At their tip, a 10 to 22cm (4 to 9in) long spike develops, composed of numerous tiny flowers grouped in clusters. Their pink-violet colour is almost smothered by white wool.
Stachys byzantina is perfect in a dry garden, without watering, or in a not too arid rockery. Ornamental all year round, it forms beautiful velvety and carefree carpets that enhance all companion plants. It can be planted en masse along a path or used to edge a flower bed composed of perennial or shrubby salvias, linear-leaved plants, lavenders, Nepeta, ground cover roses, ornamental Allium, lilies, wallflowers, and many others. It only requires well-drained soil and sunlight. Along the edge of a mineral bed, it can be paired with sedums, Stipa tenuifolia, yarrows, or euphorbias.
Stachys byzantina in pictures
Flowering
Foliage
Plant habit
Botanical data
Stachys
byzantina
Lamiaceae
Lamb's Ear, Bear's Ear, Wooly Betony, Bunnies' Ears, Mouse Ear, Rabbit Ear, Woolly Woundwort, Cat's Ear, Lamb's Tongue, Lamb's Wool
Mediterranean
Planting and care
Plant Stachys byzantina in full sun in loose, deep, poor and well-drained soil. Avoid heavy soils, waterlogged in winter, which can harm its hardiness and cause its roots to rot. It tolerates the presence of limestone in the soil perfectly. Prune the faded flowers to prevent the plant from becoming bare and to encourage it to produce young, highly ornamental foliage. This ground cover requires no further maintenance.
Planting period
Intended location
Care
Planting & care advice
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Hardiness is the lowest winter temperature a plant can endure without suffering serious damage or even dying. However, hardiness is affected by location (a sheltered area, such as a patio), protection (winter cover) and soil type (hardiness is improved by well-drained soil).
In temperate climates, pruning of spring-flowering shrubs (forsythia, spireas, etc.) should be done just after flowering.
Pruning of summer-flowering shrubs (Indian Lilac, Perovskia, etc.) can be done in winter or spring.
In cold regions as well as with frost-sensitive plants, avoid pruning too early when severe frosts may still occur.
The harvesting period indicated on our website applies to countries and regions in USDA zone 8 (France, England, Ireland, the Netherlands).
In colder areas (Scandinavia, Poland, Austria...) fruit and vegetable harvests are likely to be delayed by 3-4 weeks.
In warmer areas (Italy, Spain, Greece, etc.), harvesting will probably take place earlier, depending on weather conditions.
The sowing periods indicated on our website apply to countries and regions within USDA Zone 8 (France, UK, Ireland, Netherlands).
In colder areas (Scandinavia, Poland, Austria...), delay any outdoor sowing by 3-4 weeks, or sow under glass.
In warmer climes (Italy, Spain, Greece, etc.), bring outdoor sowing forward by a few weeks.
The planting period indicated on our website applies to regions in USDA Zone 9a (East Coast and Midlands: Dublin, Wexford, Waterford, Kilkenny, Portlaoise). It will vary depending on where you live:
- On the west coast and in the north-west (Galway, Limerick, Sligo, Donegal, Westport), delay planting by 1 to 2 weeks in spring and bring it forward by 1 to 2 weeks in autumn compared to the dates given, preferably choosing periods without strong winds.
- In the inland hills and plateaus (Wicklow Mountains, Macgillycuddy’s Reeks, Connemara, Killarney), it is best to plant in spring (April–May) or autumn (September–October), avoiding periods of waterlogged soil in winter and strong winds, which pose the main risk to newly planted trees in these areas.
The flowering period indicated on our website applies to regions in USDA Zone 9a, such as the East Coast and Midlands, including Dublin, Wexford, Waterford, Kilkenny and Portlaoise.
This will vary depending on where you live:
- On the west coast and in the northwest (Galway, Limerick, Sligo, Donegal and Westport), it will be delayed by one to two weeks compared to the given dates, due to stronger Atlantic winds and less spring sunshine.
- In the inland hills and plateaus (the Wicklow Mountains, the Macgillycuddy's Reeks, Connemara and Killarney), flowering will be delayed by two to three weeks. Flowering mainly occurs between May and July, with the limiting factors being less frost and more of the excessive humidity, strong winds and lack of sunshine that are characteristic of these areas.
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