Lamb’s Ear
Lamb’s ear is such a sweet name for this plant. He may be a little shy to let you in on his real name, Stachys byzantine, but there’s nothing introverted about his presence in your garden. Lamb’s ear is native to Turkey, Iran and Armenia and grows well in zones 4–8. It prefers full sun, but placing it in a partially shaded area will be just fine. Even though this plant can live in poor soil conditions, the leaves may rot if allowed to lay on wet earth for too long, so mulching around the plants is best in areas that tend to hold water.
This is a great plant to introduce a child to the love of gardening. It is very low maintenance, and the lamb’s ear-shaped, green leaves are velvety soft and fun to touch.
In late spring to early summer, the reward of a spiky pinkish-purple flower may be seen. Although it isn’t a showy flower, it’s full of seeds, and if you don’t want the plant to spread, you could nip the floral stalk in the bud. This is a great plant by itself or along the edge of a garden, and the distinctive leaf color makes it perfect for contrasting garden colors.
