Stachys Silver Velvet

Common Name:

Stachys 'Silver Velvet' (Lamb's Ears)

Description:

Stachys 'Silver Velvet' is a beautiful, low-growing evergreen perennial prized for its exceptionally soft, velvety, silver-grey foliage and attractive spreading habit. Commonly known as Lamb's Ears, this ornamental ground cover produces dense clusters of elongated, woolly leaves that create a stunning silvery carpet, adding year-round colour, texture and contrast to garden landscapes. Its distinctive foliage is covered in fine, silky hairs, giving the leaves their characteristic soft, felt-like appearance. Growing approximately 30 cm tall and spreading up to 1 m wide, Stachys 'Silver Velvet' forms a dense, spreading mound that is ideal for garden borders, rockeries, mass plantings, cottage gardens and decorative pots. Occasional upright flower spikes bearing small pinkish-purple blooms may appear during late spring and summer, attracting bees and other beneficial pollinators. Well suited to Melbourne's temperate climate, this hardy perennial thrives in full sun and prefers well-drained soil, particularly in locations with good air circulation. Once established, it offers excellent drought tolerance and requires minimal maintenance, making it an outstanding choice for water-wise gardens. Avoiding excessive watering and removing damaged or ageing foliage helps maintain its attractive appearance, particularly during Melbourne's wetter winter months. With its striking silver foliage, soft texture, compact growth and reliable year-round appeal, Stachys 'Silver Velvet' is an excellent choice for adding elegance, contrast and structure to Australian gardens.

Form:

• Ground Cover

• Shrub - Clumping / Grass-like / Mounding

Mature Size:

• Height: 30 cm

• Width: 1 m

Aspect:

- Full Sun

Flowering:

• Flowers in Spring

• Flowers in Summer

Flower Colour:

• Pinkish Purple

• Lavender Pink

Key Attributes:

• Bee Attracting

• Deer Resistant

• Drought Tolerant Once Established

• Evergreen

• Frost Tolerant

• Low Maintenance

• Perennial

• Rabbit Resistant

• Silver Foliage

• Soft, Velvety Foliage

• Suitable for Borders

• Suitable for Cottage Gardens

• Suitable for Mass Planting

• Suitable for Pots

• Suitable for Rockeries

• Suitable for Water-Wise Gardens

• Woolly Foliage

• Requires Good Drainage: Susceptible to crown and root rot in persistently wet or poorly drained soils.

Toxicity:

Stachys 'Silver Velvet' is generally considered non-toxic to humans, dogs and cats. However, it is not recommended for consumption, and ingestion of large quantities of plant material may cause mild gastrointestinal discomfort in sensitive individuals or animals.

Companion Plants:

• Achillea (Yarrow)

• Agapanthus

• Artemisia

• Catmint (Nepeta)

• Dianthus

• Echinacea

• Erigeron karvinskianus (Seaside Daisy)

• Euphorbia

• Gaura

• Lavender

• Penstemon

• Rosemary

• Salvia

• Santolina

• Sedum

• Verbena bonariensis

  Plant Growers Australia (PGA) is an innovative wholesale production nursery based in Melbourne, renowned for superior quality garden plants and pioneering breeding programs.
  PGA do not sell direct to the public, but their website has detailed information on this species that is available for everyone to access. 
  Visit www.pga.com.au for further details and photos of this plant.