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Lamiaceae
Lamb's Ear
Stachys byzantina
Comfort, softness, gentle protection.
- Family
- Lamiaceae
- Genus
- Stachys
- Native to
- Turkey, Iran, Caucasus
- Bloom season
- Summer
- Type
- Perennial
- Height
- 30–60 cm (12–24 in)
- Sunlight
- Full sun
- Soil
- Lean, well-drained
- Water
- Low
- Hardiness
- 4–9
- Lifespan
- Long-lived perennial
Did you know
- Lamb's ear leaves are coated in such dense silvery hairs that they feel exactly like the soft ear of a newborn lamb—a uniquely tactile plant that children always reach out to touch.
- Soldiers from medieval times through the American Civil War used the soft, absorbent leaves as bandages and sanitary cloths—they're naturally antibacterial and surprisingly effective at staunching bleeding.
- The fuzzy hairs reflect sunlight and prevent water loss, helping lamb's ear thrive in hot, dry conditions where most leafy plants wither.
- The flower spikes (though rarely the main attraction) are deeply popular with bumblebees—a furry purple bee landing on a furry silver leaf is one of the great photo opportunities of summer gardens.
- Lamb's ear was a favorite of Gertrude Jekyll, who used it as a silver edging plant in her famous Munstead Wood garden borders—pairing it with deep purple salvias for maximum contrast.
Color meanings
0
comfort
1
softness
2
gentle protection