Stachys byzantina 'Cotton Boll'

RHS Plant Profile

lamb's ear 'Cotton Boll'

Synonyms

Stachys byzantina 'Sheila McQueen'
Stachys lanata 'Cotton Boll'

Herbaceous Perennial

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A low-growing, evergreen perennial, with white woolly stems and basal rosettes of thick, soft, downy leaves to 11cm long. Produces upright, flowering stems to 50cm in height in summer, with dense clusters of small round modified flowers with the same white downy coating

Position

Full sun

Soil Types

Chalk, Loam, Sand

Max Height

0.1-0.5 metres

Max Spread

0.1-0.5 metres

Size

Time to Maturity: 2–5 years
Max Spread: 0.1-0.5 metres
Max Height: 0.1-0.5 metres

Growing Conditions

Chalk Loam Sand

Moisture: Well–drained
pH: Acid or Alkaline or Neutral

Position

Full sun

Aspect: South–facing or West–facing
Exposure: Exposed
Hardiness

Hardiness Ratings

All ratings refer to the UK growing conditions unless otherwise stated. Minimum temperature ranges (in degrees C) are shown in brackets

H1A: under glass all year (>15C)
H1B: can be grown outside in the summer (10 - 15)
H1C: can be grown outside in the summer (5 - 10)
H2: tolerant of low temperatures, but not surviving being frozen (1 to 5)
H3: hardy in coastal and relatively mild parts of the UK (-5 to 1)
H4: hardy through most of the UK (-10 to -5)
H5: hardy in most places throughout the UK even in severe winters (-15 to -10)
H6: hardy in all of UK and northern Europe (-20 to -15)
H7: hardy in the severest European continental climates (< -20): H7

Colour & Scent

Season	Stem	Flower	Foliage	Fruit
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter

Botanical Details

Family: Lamiaceae
Native to GB/Ireland: No
Foliage: Evergreen
Habit: Matforming
Genus: Stachys can be annuals, perennials or shrubs, with paired leaves which are sometimes unpleasantly aromatic, and erect spikes or racemes of whorled, 2-lipped flowers
Name Status: Accepted

How to Grow

Cultivation

Grow in moderately fertile, well-drained soil in full sun

Propagation

Propagate by seed in containers in a cold frame in autumn or spring. Propagate by division of established clumps, or by removing rooted offsets in spring

Suggested planting locations and garden types

Cottage and informal garden
Gravel garden
Wildlife gardens
Flower borders and beds
Garden edging
Ground cover
Underplanting of roses and shrubs

Pruning

Remove flowers to enhance the dense growth of the plant

Pests

May be susceptible to slugs

Diseases

May be susceptible to powdery mildews and to stem and leaf rot in damp conditions