(Stachys Byzantina ‘Lamb's Ear’)

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Lamb's Ear is a mat-forming perennial flower that is native to the Middle East but can be commonly found growing in disturbed meadows and prairies in scattered locations throughout the United States. At maturity, this plant reaches the height of 12-16” and features velvety silver leaves, 10-16” spikes, and small bright purple flowers. This plant can be grown in a container, attracts bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds, resistant to deer and rabbits, tolerates drought, is both edible and medicinal, self sows, and is great as a cut flower! 

  • General Information
  • Germination
  • Seedlings
  • Harvesting
  • Seed Saving
  • Culinary
  • Medicinal
  • Companion Planting
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Family: Lamiaceae

Genus: Stachys

Species: byzantina 

Variety: Lamb's Ear

Also Known As: Lamb’s Tails, Lamb’s Tongue, Woolly Betony, Woolly Woundwort.

Native to: Iran, Krym, North Caucasus, Transcaucasus, Turkey, Turkey-in-Europe.

Introduced into: Altay, Austria, British Columbia, Bulgaria, California, Connecticut, Czechoslovakia, France, Illinois, Montana, New York, New Zealand North, New Zealand South, Ontario, Québec, Ukraine, Utah, Vermont, Virginia.

Ease of Growing: Easy

Grown as: Perennial
 
Blooms: Summer

Light: Full sun to partial shade

Water: Moist, well-drained, pH 5.8 - 7.2

Attracts Beneficial Insects?: Yes. Attracts bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds. Also is deer resistant and not to popular to rabbits.

Containers?: Yes. 

Height: 12-16”
 
Spacing: 16”

Sow Depth: On soil surface.
 
Produces: velvety silver leaves, 10-16” spikes, and small bright purple flowers. 

USDA Grow Zone: 4a-8b
Germinate your Lamb's Ear seeds 8-10 weeks before the last frost. Sow your seeds onto the soil surface and press them in gently without covering them because they need light to germinate. Keep the flower seeds continuously moist until germination. Use starter trays and quality starter soil. Germination happens at 70°F and occurs between 21-35 days.
Transplant your Lamb's Ear seedlings outdoors in spring after the chance of frost has passed. At the time of transplanting, pinch back your plant to encourage compact growth. Space Lamb's Ear plants 16 inches a part in a sunny location in cooler locations and part shade locations in high heat areas.
The flowering stalks of this plant can be dried for autumn arrangements. Simply cut it off close to the base of the plant when the head is in full bloom and hang it upside down to dry. Leaves may also be dried and used (air dry). Moisture in the air can cause the heads to droop sometimes, so best used lying horizontal, or plan the shape of the arrangement accordingly. 
To collect seeds from Lamb's Ear, simply clip the flower spikes at their base when they become brownish and dry and place them in a container. Now all you have to do is simply shake the spikes in the container and just watch the seeds fall out. Another more thorough approach is to pinch the spikes from top to bottom to make sure all the seeds have been removed. 
​The leaves may be harvested just before the flowers appear, dried, then steeped in boiling water to make a refreshing tea. They may also be eaten raw or steamed as greens.
The leaves have antibacterial, antiseptic, and anti-inflammatory properties as well as aiding in blood clotting. For this reason they were once widely used for wound dressings on battlefields. 

A tea made from the young leaves is used to treat fevers, diarrhea, sore mouth and throat, internal bleeding, and weaknesses of the liver and heart. The same tea can be used topically as an eyewash to treat pinkeye and sties.
​
The juice from crushed leaves can be placed directly on the skin to treat bee stings and insect bites helping to reduce swelling. It can also be used to treat hemorrhoids, or for postpartum recovery.
​Project Purity Seeds can not take any responsibility for any adverse effects from the use of plants. Always seek advice from a professional before using a plant medicinally.
Lambs Ear is a host plant for the Mealybug Destroyer which also preys on thrips. Thrips are a common pest problem for rose growers and having a natural predator close by would be beneficial.

Extremely active, thrips feed in large groups. They leap or fly away when disturbed. Host plants include onions, beans, carrots, squash and many other garden vegetables, and many flowers, especially gladioli and roses. Both adults and the wingless larvae are attracted to white, yellow and other light colored blossoms and are responsible for spreading tomato spotted wilt virus and impatiens necrotic spot virus.

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