Stachys Byzantina Lanata Drought Tolerant Lamb's Ear Garden Flower Plant Seed

Lamb's Ear Seeds - Byzantina

1000 Seeds
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4.99
2000 Seeds
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8.98

About...

Lamb's Ear (Stachys Byzantina Lanata) - Start Lamb's Ear seeds for a wonderful ground cover plant with masses of silvery, velvet-textured leaves that stay crisp and look fresh all season. Flowers bloom on spikes that reach up to 16 inches and are lilac in color. Drought tolerant once estabslished.

MORE LAMB'S EAR OPTIONS

Byzantina Macrantha Betony seeds
ABOUT
FAQ's
VIDEOS

Flower Specifications

SEASON

Perennial

USDA ZONES

4 - 8

HEIGHT

12 - 16 inches

BLOOM SEASON

Summer

BLOOM COLOR

Lilac

ENVIRONMENT

Full sun to partial shade

SOIL TYPE

Moist, well-drained, pH 5.8 - 7.2

DEER RESISTANT

Yes

HOUSE PLANT

Yes

Planting Directions

TEMPERATURE

70F

AVERAGE GERM TIME

21 - 35 days

LIGHT REQUIRED

Yes

DEPTH

Do not cover the seed but press into the soil

SOWING RATE

3-4 seeds per plant or approximately 1000 seeds cover 20 square feet

MOISTURE

Keep seed moist until germination

PLANT SPACING

16 inches

CARE & MAINTENANCE

Lamb's Ear

Lamb's Ear (Stachys Byzantina Lanata) - Start Lamb's Ear seeds for a wonderful ground cover plant with masses of silvery, deer resistant velvet-textured leaves that stay crisp and look fresh all season. Flowers bloom on spikes that reach up to 16 inches and are lilac in color. The silvery foliage offers a cool accent for the bright greens and colors of the summer garden. Grown in USDA zones 4 -8 with a summer bloom season. Lambs ear blooms in a beautiful lilac shade and is deer resistant. Usually takes 21 - 35 days in order to germinate when seeds are kept moist. Does not require much water after establishment making it resistant to drought.

Attracts pollinators

Lamb's Ear attracts bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds with its purple flower spikes in late spring and early summer.

lambs ear flowers

Lamb's ear seed | byzantina

How to grow

How To Grow Lamb's Ear From Seed: Sow Lamb's Ear seeds in late winter, 8 - 10 weeks before last frost. Use starter trays and quality starter soil. Press Lamb's Ear seeds into the soil but do not cover. Keep the flower seeds continuously moist until germination. Transplant Lamb's Ear seedlings outdoors in spring. At the time of transplanting, pinch back to encourage compact growth. Space Lamb's Ear plants 16 inches a part.

Grow this hardy, drought resistant perennial flower in full sun to partial shade and in well-drained soil. It is a reliable performer that needs little care. Lamb's Ear uses include edging the border of the garden or as a general ground cover. It is a ready self-seeder, and also spreads by roots making it ideal for ground cover.

  • Sowing Rate: 3 - 4 seeds per plant or approximately 1,000 seeds covers 20 square feet
  • Average Germ Time: 21 - 35 days
  • Keep moist until germination
  • Attracts bees, butterflies and hummingbirds
  • Depth: Do not cover, but press seed into soil
byzantina lambs ear

Flower Specifications

Stachys Byzantina Lamb's Ear is very adaptive. It is drought tolerant enough for a rock garden setting, and it is also a good choice for growing in hot, humid summers where some plants can lose their form. Lamb's Ear ground cover makes a perfect companion plant for a rose garden.

  • Height: 24 - 36 inches
  • USDA Zones: 6 - 9
  • Season: Perennial
  • Deer Resistant: Yes
  • Drought Tolerant: Yes

Common Questions

Q

My leaves have spots on them, what is wrong?

A

Discard infected matter from an otherwise healthy plant. If needed, treat infected plants with an antifungal spray and make sure there is plenty of room for air circulation around your plant.

Q

How do I encourage more blooms?

A

Deadheading and keeping your plants in a full sun location will give you the best bloom results.

Q

Do I need to prune my plants?

A

Yes, cutting away foliage at the end of your growing season down to the soil will help to keep your plants healthy. If you don’t get this done in the fall, be sure to cut the foliage back in spring before new growth starts.

ABOUT
FAQ's
VIDEOS

Flower Specifications

SEASON

Perennial

USDA ZONES

5 - 7

HEIGHT

18 inches

BLOOM SEASON

Late spring

BLOOM COLOR

Lavendar

ENVIRONMENT

Full sun to partial shade

SOIL TYPE

Well-drained, pH 5.8 - 6.8

DEER RESISTANT

Yes

HOUSE PLANT

Yes

Planting Directions

TEMPERATURE

40F

AVERAGE GERM TIME

28 - 42 days

LIGHT REQUIRED

Yes

DEPTH

Do not cover the seed but press into the soil

SOWING RATE

3 - 4 seeds per plant

MOISTURE

Keep seeds moist until germination

PLANT SPACING

18 inches

CARE & MAINTENANCE

Lamb's Ear

Lamb's Ear (Stachys Macrantha Superba) - Start Lamb's Ear seeds and grow this old-fashioned treasure that was in Grandma's garden, and is gaining new popularity as a charming flower with romantic rosy-lavender flower spikes. The foliage is bright green with crinkled, ovate to heart-shaped leaves. Lamb's Ear Macrantha Superba is very drought tolerant and prefers to dry out between waterings.

Compact garden flower

The flowers are long-lived and work well as a cut flower, or as an addition in a cottage garden. The compact, bushy plants also work well along the border or as a general ground cover.

lambs ear flowers

Lamb's ear seed | macrantha

How to grow

How To Grow Lamb's Ear From Seed: Sow Lamb's Ear seed in late winter, 8 - 10 weeks before last frost. Use starter trays and quality starter soil. Press Lamb's Ear seeds into the soil but do not cover. Keep the flower seeds continuously moist until germination. After establishment, plants are resistant to drought.

Keep trays out of direct sunlight, and keep them at a cool temperature, 40F. Pinch back at the time of transplanting to encourage a more compact growth. Transplant Lamb's Ear seedlings outdoors in spring. Space Big Betony plants 18 inches a part.

  • Sowing Rate: 3 - 4 seeds per plant
  • Average Germ Time: 28 - 42 days
  • Keep moist until germination
  • Attracts bees, butterflies and hummingbirds
  • Depth: Do not cover seed, but press into soil
lambs ear seed macrantha

Flower Specifications

Lamb's Ear Macrantha, also known as Big Betony, is making a comeback in popularity as a long-blooming, colorful, compact choice for beds and borders. Lamb's Ear Big Betony has a spreading habit and is a liberal self-sower dropping its own flower seeds. If you want to keep it contained, deadhead spent blooms before seeds fall.

  • Height: 18 inches
  • USDA Zones: 5 - 7
  • Season: Perennial
  • Deer Resistant: Yes
  • Drought Tolerant: Yes

Common Questions

Q

Is stachys macrantha easy to grow?

A

Yes, stachys macrantha is easy to grow and naturalizes well and is low maintenance.

Q

Will rabbits eat my plants?

A

No, deer and rabbits tend to stay away from these plants.

Q

How can I use it in my landscape?

A

These make beautiful cut flowers and are wonderful along borders or in cottage gardens.

Q

What are some common companion plants?

A

A few pairs for this flower are helenium, coneflower, yarrow and bee balm.

ABOUT
FAQ’s
VIDEOS

Flower Specifications

SEASON

Perennial

USDA ZONES

4 - 7

HEIGHT

12 inches

BLOOM SEASON

July - September

BLOOM COLOR

Pink

ENVIRONMENT

Full sun

SOIL TYPE

Evenly moist but well-drained soil, can grow in clay

DEER RESISTANT

Yes

Planting Directions

TEMPERATURE

41F

AVERAGE GERM TIME

14 - 21 days after cold stratification

LIGHT REQUIRED

Yes

DEPTH

1/16th inch

SOWING RATE

4 - 5 seeds per plant

MOISTURE

Keep seeds moist until germination

PLANT SPACING

8 inches

Attractive Garden Herb!

Betony has an unusual appearance and provides a lovely feature to your rock garden or landscape.

 Attractive Garden Herb!

Fine Flowering Herb

How To Grow

Plant betony seeds anywhere from late summer to early fall. Cold weather is important to assist germination, so plant in late winter if you live in an area with warm winters. Seeds can be sown directly or started indoors. Plant seeds in a potting mix at a depth of 1/16 inch: light is required for germination. Make sure to keep seeds moist until germination, but don't soak the soil or seeds may rot. Make sure to plant in rich soil to provide proper nutrients for a long bloom season. It is best to grow in an area of partial shade, although betony does grow in full sun in areas with mild summers.

  • Height: 12 inches
  • Plant spacing: 8 inches
  • Soil: evenly moist but well-drained
  • Sowing rate: 4-5 seeds per plant
Fine Flowering Herb

Plant Information

Betony is a perennial flowering herb that grows in USDA zones 4 through 7. It has traditionally been used for a variety of medicinal purposes, and it is a popular substitute for black tea as a base for herbal mixes.

  • Environment: partial shade to full sun
  • Bloom season: July-September
  • Bloom color: pink

Betony (Stachys Officinalis) - A cousin of Lamb's Ear, Stachys Offinalis is also called betony, bishopswort, purple betony, or wood betony. Betony is a hardy perennial herb. Plant hardiness to USDA Zone 4, betony requires only average soil, and tolerates full sun to partial shade.

Wood betony was at one time commonly used as a medicinal plant in the treatment of a wide range of disorders, especially as a nervine and tonic for treating maladies of the head and as an external application to wounds. It also stimulates the digestive system and the liver, having an overall tonic effect upon the body. Wood betony is much less used today, and more often forms part of a mixture of herbs. The whole plant is collected when in flower in the summer and can be dried for later use.

Common Questions

Q

Which herbs can thrive in the kitchen?

A

Not all herbs are suitable for indoor growth. Herbs with woody, bushy growth, like rosemary are too large for indoor herb gardens. Consider other more suitable herbs for an indoor kitchen garden, such as chives, oregano, thyme, dill, mint, basil, cilantro, sage and savory. Each herb has specific growing needs, so ensure to provide the right amount of light, humidity, and air circulation. If using a single large container, ensure that all plants require similar amounts of sunlight and water. For instance, chives and cilantro may not need as much sunlight as dill and oregano.

Q

What are good companion plants for herb gardens?

A

Pairing herbs based on watering requirements, like planting lavender with thyme or basil with chives, is ideal for maintaining the health of both plants. Avoid companion planting with catnip, lemon balm and mint as they should be grown in separate pots due to their rapid spreading nature that can overtake other plants in your indoor herb garden.

Q

When do I establish an indoor herb garden?

A

Create a kitchen herb garden by propagating cuttings from your outdoor plants as the weather cools in the fall. If you opt to sow your indoor herb garden from purchased seeds, begin a few weeks before the anticipated first frost of the season. Most herbs can be harvested within a few weeks, so there is no need to plant too far in advance.

Q

Do kitchen herbs need full sun?

A

Most herbs need 6 hours of sunlight a day to thrive. If you do not have this type of light available in your kitchen, consider a grow light that will run 14-16 hours per day 6 to 12 inches above your plants. NOTE: Rotate herbs periodically when grown in windows to let each part of the plant receive sunlight.

Q

What time of year should you plant herbs?

A

Herbs grown in indoor gardens can be planted any time of year. Many gardeners prefer to grow their herbs outdoors during the summer growing season, and then move them to their indoor garden before the first frost of fall. If you prefer to start your seeds outdoors, you will need to wait until after danger of frost in the spring or start your seeds indoors 6 -8 weeks before last frost and transplant in your garden after danger of frost.

Q

Do herbs come back every year?

A

Perennial herbs will come back each year when planted in the correct zone or grown indoors during the cold winter months. Popular perennial herbs are oregano, parsley, sage, fennel, chives, lavender, thyme and mint varieties.

Q

How do I know when my herbs need watered?

A

Allow the soil to dry out just slightly before watering your herbs again. Give your indoor herb garden a dose of diluted water-soluble fertilizer every 2 weeks or so. Too much food will compromise the taste of the herbs. It is also beneficial to provide adequate humidity. If the indoor air is especially dry – which is often the case in regions with cold winters. Set the herbs pots on trays of stones. Fill the trays with water but keep the level below the drainage holes of your pots.

Q

When do I water my outdoor herb garden?

A

Different herb plants will need different amounts of water so keep this in mind when planting your garden and keep similar plants together to simplify watering. Watering is best done in the early morning hours when temperatures are cooler. Many herbs are hardy. They can tolerate soil that is moderately dry. You want to keep an eye out for wilting when the soil is wet. Ideally, your herbs should make quick use of the water you give them. Saturated soil is not what you are after. Pay close attention to the coloration of the leaves on your herbs. Yellow leaves can be a sign of too much water, and so can black leaves. If you spot any mildew or fuzz on the herbs, too much moisture can be the problem.

Q

How do I harvest my herbs?

A

Trim back flowering sections before they bloom for healthier leaves. Prune new growth on young plants weekly to encourage a fuller mature plant. Snip herbs for harvest when they are just a few inches tall. Pruning back the herbs often means a larger, longer harvest. Cut the new growth back at least one per week, even if you are not using the herbs in recipes (see drying and freezing page if you do not want to waste your harvest). Long stems that are about to set flower buds should be trimmed off as they appear.

Q

What do I need to start an indoor herb garden?

A

Common tools needed for an indoor herb garden are: garden trowel, scissors for snipping, stones (optional). Materials for your herbs plants include seed, pots, potting soil, cactus potting soil (optional), pots or trays, fertilizer and a grow light if you do not have adequate sunlight of at least 6 hours per day for your plants.

Q

How do I prepare my containers for planting?

A

Choose large, deep containers with drainage holes to accommodate fast-growing herbs. Fill the container with potting mix leaving about ½ inch clear at the top. Use standard commercial potting soil for most herbs but blend in cactus potting mix for herbs native to the Mediterranean, such as thyme and oregano which prefer dryer soils.

Q

Can I put my indoor herb containers outside?

A

Yes! Move your potted herbs to the patio or deck when the weather warms in the spring and for a boost of sunshine.

Q

How do I know when my herbs need larger containers?

A

When roots begin to emerge through the drainage holes of its container, it is time to repot the herbs. Replace the potting mix; the organic material in the potting mix breaks down over time. Remove any plants with woody or thickened stems and replace them with new seeds or seedlings.

Q

Do herbs need fertilizer?

A

The short answer is yes. However, not all herbs have the same fertilizer needs. Herbs roughly fall into two groups. 1. Slow-growing herbs with small leaves or needles and fibrous, woody stems that are native to the mediterranean where they grow culinary lavender, month, marjoram, oregano, rosemary, sage, savory, tarragon and thyme. 2. Fast-growing herbs with larger, thinner leaves. These can be annuals such as basil, borage, cilantro, chervil and dill; bi-annual herbs such as parsley or perennials such as chives. Herbs in the first group generally need less fertilizer than herbs in the second group.

Q

What type of nutrients do herbs need?

A

Start out by planting herbs in healthy soil rich in organic matter. In addition, they will benefit from an organic complete, slow-release fertilizer containing equal amounts of macronutrients nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium. A slow-release fertilizer is especially important if your garden has sandy soil because nutrients wash out quickly. To give fast-growing herbs that you harvest often an extra boost, you can also apply fish emulsion, an organic fertilizer that is high in nitrogen, with an NPK ratio of 4-1-1 or 5-1-1.

Q

How often should I fertilize my herbs?

A

The frequency of fertilization follows the growth pattern of the herbs. In soil of average fertility, it is usually sufficient to apply a balanced fertilizer in the spring when they break dormancy, or when the new growing season starts. For other herbs, a light monthly application of a slow-release complete fertilizer should be enough – unless the leaves start to look yellow, which may be a sign of nitrogen deficiency. In that case, applying fish emulsion is a quick fix but before you reach for the fertilizer bottle, rule out that the yellowing of leaves is not caused by something else.

Q

How do I fertilize my herbs in a container?

A

Herbs grown in containers need fertilizer applications more often, because with frequent watering that container plants require, the fertilizer in the potting mix washes out more quickly. Just as with sandy soil, it is important to use slow-release fertilizer. The roots of container plants are in a confined space, unlike herbs grown in the garden or raised beds, which can lead to over fertilization if you are not careful. Organic fertilizers are recommended over synthetic which often contain a high level of salts that can build up in the container over time. To prevent this, it is best to use half the strength of the fertilizer amount specified on the label for any type of fertilizer.

Q

Is it possible to overfertilize herbs?

A

Adding too much fertilizer to herbs usually leads to an excess of nitrogen, which has undesirable results especially for slow-growing herbs. For basil and other thin-leaved herbs, the fast leaf growth induced by nitrogen is fine because you want your plants to be lush. For rosemary and other Mediterranean herbs however, rapid growth means that there is less concentration of essential oils causing the herbs to become less aromatic and have weaker flavor.

Q

How do I prepare garden soil before planting an herb garden?

A

Once you have picked the location for growing your herb garden, you will need to prepare the soil. If the soil is sandy or clay heavy, add plenty of compost. Even if your soil is in pretty good condition, working some compost into the soil will help provide nutrients to the herbs while they are growing.

Q

Can I harvest my herbs too often?

A

Many times, when a new gardener is starting an herb garden, they are afraid that harvesting the herbs frequently will hurt them. The opposite is true. Frequent harvesting of herbs will result in the herb plant producing more and more foliage, which increases the amount you are able to harvest. At the end of the season, you can dry or freeze your herb harvest to enjoy home grown herbs all year long.

Q

I don’t have a good sunny spot outdoors for my herb garden, what can I do?

A

If your yard is mostly shaded, there is not much you can do to change that, but you can pick shade friendly herbs. Parsley, sweet woodruff and mint are good examples of herbs that don’t require as much light. If you are growing plants in low light, manage your expectations. Your herbs will grow but will be slow and results less impressive.

Q

My container soil is staying wet, what do I do?

A

Choose a container that allow for water to drain. If you over water or if it rains too much a good pot will allow the water to flow to the bottom without soaking and rotting the roots of your plants. You can use rocks or pottery shards to fill the bottom of the container to help with drainage. This applies outdoors too. If your herbs constantly have wet feet, they won’t thrive. Either plan when planting your garden and add some sand for drainage or pick plants that don’t mind wet roots as much.

Q

My herbs plants are going to seed, why?

A

The short answer is you are not pruning enough. To prevent rapid growth and encourage a bushy habit, be sure to prune your herb plants regularly. The more you pick off your stems and leaves the longer your herb plant will remain in its production cycle. If you start to see flower heads, snip them right away. When you fail to cut back the plant, it is likely to go to seed and complete its lifecycle. Once that happens, many plants die back. Keep cutting and pinching back flowers to prevent this from happening.

Q

Should I throw away my seeds on their expiration date?

A

Seeds do not have an expiration date, rather they are a sell by date just like food. The dates on seed packages are guidelines to help you know when your seeds are getting old, but it does not mean you need to toss them. Every plant is different. Some seeds last longer than others. Most seeds, if kept cool and dry, will last 2 – 3 years. If you are unsure test them out by growing microgreens.

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