FAMILY: Lamiaceae
GENUS: Stachys
SPECIES: byzantina
CULTIVAR: ‘Silver Carpet’
COMMON NAME: Lamb’s Ears
Picture taken 5-1-09.
This cultivar grows to a height of up to 15 inches. They are cold hardy in zones 4a-8b (-30 to 15 degrees F). They prefer to be watered when dry in well-drained soil in a location that receives full sun to part shade. They usually produce nice violet-blue flowers held above the plants. They attract bees and butterflies.
The first recollection I have of Lambs Ears was as a child in my grandma Miller’s back yard. She called them “Rabbit Ears” instead of Lamb’s Ears. Then. In 1981, I ordered my first plants from Bluestone Perennials (among a long list of other plants!) I always liked them because their fuzzy leaves and they really grew well and never failed to return every spring. They spread nicely, but not overdoing it.
Well, for some strange reason, the two ‘Silver Carpet’ I bought from Lowe’s fizzled out completely! They were fine, but apparently their growing conditions, in poorly drained soil, was not to their approval. I will add more when I have a proper place for them!
