Lambs' Ears (Stachys byzantina)
[STAK-iss bye-zan-TEEN-ah]

Deciduous Perennial Mounding, Groundcovering in the Lamiaceae Family

Lamb's ear is an herbaceous perennial ground cover in the Lamiaceae (mint) family. Hailing from the Middle East, it features thick, soft, velvety, silver-gray leaves that form a rapidly spreading groundcover.

They are evergreen in warmer climates. In summer, tiny, purplish-pink flowers appear that are best removed to enhance the foliage. The leaves emit a pleasant scent when crushed and the plant is deer resistant and moderately drought tolerant. 

The soft, fuzzy leaves make an excellent addition to a children's or sensory garden.  Plant it along a border front or walkway or it can also be grown in containers.

Pros

  • Distinctive silvery, velvety foliage texture
  • Drought-tolerant once established
  • Deer and rabbit resistant
  • Excellent edging or small-area ground cover

Cons

  • Prone to rot and leaf disease in hot, humid, or wet conditions
  • Foliage can look ragged after flowering or in soggy soil
  • Needs well-drained soil, dislikes overhead watering
Why Like In its native range across Turkey, Armenia, and Iran, its dense silvery foliage mats help stabilize dry, rocky slopes and resist grazing thanks to its woolly texture.
Highlights Iconic soft, silvery-woolly foliage that gives this plant its common name, Lamb's Ears.
 

Plant Data

Mature Size 9 - 18 inches tall. 12 - 18 inches wide.
Growth Rate Medium
Sun Exposure Full Sun - Full Sun
Moisture Tolerance Dry - Medium: 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 does high humidity summers.
Zones 4a - 8b (Usually hardy to -30° F)
Tags Container, Deciduous, Deer Resistant, Drought Tolerant, Dry, Edging, Full Sun, Good for Accents, Good for Beginners, Good for Borders, Good for Cottage Garden, Good for Cut Flowers, Good for Mass Planting, Groundcover, Medium, Most Popular, Native to Asia, Non-Allergenic, Normal Soil, Perennial, Rabbit Resistant, Showy Flowers, Tolerant of Clay Soil, Tolerant of Loamy Soil, Tolerant of Moist Soil, Tolerant of Sandy Soil, Well-Drained Soil, Woodland Garden
Bloom Period May to July
Flower Color Purplish-Pink
Foliage Color
 

More Info from Experts

Commonly Planted with...

Low-water plants like yarrow, nepeta, and salvia.

Photos of This with...

Sonata Snow Cosmos, Golden Spirit Smoketree, Cushion Spurge, Tardiva Panicle Hydrangea, Dalmatian Iris, Virginia Creeper, Blue Paradise Garden Phlox, Blue Ensign Bethlehem Lungwort, Andean Sage, Thundercloud Stonecrop, Munstead Red Stonecrop,
 
Want More photos of this plant? Try Google Image Search!
 


Pricing and Availability History

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Past Availability
2025 : 04/13 - 07/12
2024 : 05/01 - 06/15
2023 : 04/13 - 06/04


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Field-Grown vs. Greenhouse-Grown Plants

Plants which are well-adapted to our local climate are most often field-grown (outside). Field-grown plants are generally cheaper and have the advantage of already somewhat acclimated to our cold winters, but that means they’re not artificially far along in the spring and tend to bloom at the normal time in our area.

Spring annuals and tender perennials are typically grown in Greenhouses so they can be ready and luxurious exactly when customers want them. Some perennials are also “forced” into early bloom in greenhouses. In May, there can be a very big difference between field-grown and greenhouse-grown plants of the same type. The latter typically look good right away (so they’re a great choice where that’s important), but we typically pay a premium for it.


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No Pricing or Availability Right Now

We order from a rotating cast of the best nurseries in the Great Lakes region. It looks like we've offered this plant in the past, but the nurseries we're working with this week don't appear to have it in stock at the moment.

Our goal is to bring as many plants together under "one roof" as possible, so we'll try hard to make it available again in the future!