How to Grow Lamb's Ears (Stachys Byzantina)

Video Transcript

"Hi, this is Yolanda Vanveen, and in this segment, we're going to learn all about how to grow lamb's ear, also known as stachys byzantina, so by the name byzantina, we know that it's from the Middle East, so to know how to grow it, let's find out where it's native, so lamb's ear is native to Turkey, Iraq, and Iran, all of the Middle East, so it can handle quite cold temperatures. It is great for zones five to ten, so it will grow in very, very diverse conditions. It can handle cold temperatures to warm temperatures, so lamb's ear is actually in the mint family, so it has real fuzzy leaves, that are soft, silvery colored, and they get little purple flowers on them, and they're just beautiful in the garden. They like full sun with good drainage, and they really need that good drainage, so make sure they have good compost and soil, sandy soil, to grow in, and they're really pretty for their foliage, and they have that silvery, fuzzy feel, and you can touch them, and they just feel like a lamb's ear, and they're really easy to grow, so they make a really good ground cover, or cover plant, but they really want to dry out in between waterings, so make sure when you water them, that you really let them dry out, especially if you live in a really wet climate, and they can handle the cold, so a lot of times in the winter, they'll start looking tacky, so I just chop them down, and they'll come up and grow really well the next year, and fill in, so periodically too, I just trim out some of the bad leaves, and they fill right in, but as long as you give them a sunny spot, and lots of room to grow, you'll find they'll take over a bed over the years, if you let them. They're a great garden plant, and a great addition to your garden."