Lambs Ear

Stachys byzantina. Perennial. 12".   Also called Wooly Betony, medicinal herb and ground cover. Lambs Ear is a low growing mat forming herb. Grown more for silvery leaves than for the  non-descript purple flowers. I love this plant, feeling the leaves is just like stroking the ears of a lamb, furry and soft!  Extremely drought tolerant. Zones 4 to 7.   Planting Directions:  Sow seed indoors 8-10 weeks before your last frost.  Sown seed should be barely covered  in a sterile seed starting mix with a soil temperature of  70°.  Direct sow in the garden in early spring when ground can be worked.  Transplant outdoors when soil is cool and a light frost is still possible and in full sun to part shade. .  Plant in well prepared soil that has been amended with rich compost or a general garden fertilizer.  Thin plants to 8-12” apart.  Will tolerate dry conditions but performs best in well-drained soil.