WOOLLY LAMB'S EAR Stachys byzantina
Lamb's-ear is a commonly grown plant for children's gardens, as it is easy to grow and the thick felt-like leaves are fun to touch. They are named lamb's ears because of the leaves curved shape and white, soft, fur-like hair coating. Lamb's-ear plants are perennials, usually densely covered with gray or silver-white hairs. The leaves are thick and somewhat wrinkled, densely covered on both sides with gray-silver colored, silky hairs. Flowering stems are erect and often branched, producing pink flowers which contrast nicely with the silver-gray foliage. The flowering spikes are 10–22 cm long, each have many flowers and are crowded together over most of the length on the stem. Lamb's Ears are drought tolerant, and easy to grow even in poor soils. Grow in a sunny location.
Type: Hardy perennial
Hardiness zones: 4-8
Height: 60-75cm, 24-30"
Location: Sun
Seeds per pack: 20
Germination: As with many perennial seeds, these seeds can benefit from a period of moist cold to help them grow. This is done by giving them a cold 'winter' period (artificial or natural), and then a warming to simulate 'spring', and time to grow! Here's how this can be done:
Obtain a planting container that has holes in the bottom for excess water to drain. Place the seeds just under the surface of your growing medium, and water. Place your container in a cold area (but not freezing, perhaps a refrigerator) for 4-6 weeks. Once the cold period is completed, place the container at room temperature for them to germinate. Be sure to keep the soil moist during this entire germination period. Seedlings will sprout a few weeks, or occasionally several months, after the warming period.
