Bear's ear, *Stachys*: planting, cultivation and maintenance

Description and Botany

Le Stachys, appelé également épiaire, est une plante vivace ou annuelle de la famille assez hétéroclite des lamiacées, tout comme les sauges, les menthes, thyms et romarins. 300 espèces poussant dans les collines sèches et caillouteuses, les broussailles, dans les sous-bois clairs et secs ou encore le long des berges des diverses régions tempérées du globe composent le genre Stachys.

Cette lamiacée aux formes très variables et aux exigences culturales parfois très différentes déroute un peu la classification, les stachys se répartissant en sous-ordres. La plus connue des épiaires est le Stachys byzantina (synonyme : Stachys lanata) surnommée “oreilles d’ours“, de « lapin », de « lièvre » ou encore « épiaire laineuse » dont le feuillage persistant très duveteux argenté  évoque au touché le pelage d’un petit animal. Il se décline en quelques variétés intéressantes telles que ‘Big Ears’ ou ‘Silver Carpet’.

On méconnaît les autres épiaires au feuillage caduc comme le Stachys grandiflora et le Stachys officinalis également appelé “Bétoine” qui se distinguent par un feuillage brillant. On rencontre plus rarement, le Stachys monieri, une épiaire d’origine montagnarde, cousine des oreilles d’ours, mais très différente, peu utilisée dans nos jardins et l’épiaire des bois (Stachys sylvatica) qui ressemble à une ortie et pousse spontanément sur les bords des chemins de nos campagnes françaises. La plupart offrent une très belle floraison en épis denses rose, pourpre rosé ou blanc.

Stachys sylvestris – botanical illustration

A partir de rhizomes traçants ou d’une souche épaisse ligneuse, la plante produit des rosettes de feuilles basales très bien agencées persistantes ou caduques selon les espèces qui fusionnent en un matelas parfois très laineux. De croissance rapide, elle développe de belles touffes buissonnantes plus ou moins dressées et étalées de 20 à 60 cm de hauteur et formant un couvre-sol, sans jamais devenir envahissante. Certaines variétés d’épiaires sont plus tapissantes que d’autres, croissants en coussins étalés. Il offre une fois bien établi, une belle longévité.

Le Stachys fait partie de ces plantes vivaces dont le feuillage est remarquable. C’est son principal attrait. Il diffère cependant d’une espèce à l’autre de duveteux à luisant. Le Stachys byzantina est surnommé « oreilles d’ours », « oreille de lapin » ou épiaire laineuse en raison de son feuillage persistant ou semi-persistant selon la rigueur de l’hiver, très duveteux. La face supérieure des feuilles est couverte d’un feutre gris très pâle, presque blanc évoquant les oreilles velues d’un animal.

Les tiges quadrangulaires pelucheuses portent des feuilles entières, amples, opposées, ovales, lancéolées à cordiformes de plus en plus courtes voir parfois se raréfiant vers le sommet. Longues de 4 à 10 cm, épaisses, plissées, sillonnées et duveteuses, crénelées sur le bord du limbe, elles sont couvertes de soies laineuses aussi douces au toucher qu’un doudou que grands et petits aimons caresser à l’envi. Ce véritable duvet nuance leur teinte vert jade de reflets argentés ou gris bleuté très lumineux et rend la plante très résistante aux intempéries. Certains cultivars se patinent d’un étonnant coloris vert doré. Ce feuillage offre une excellente tenue tout au long de l’année.

Le Stachys grandiflora se distingue par un feuillage caduc vert foncé, plissé, sillonné, brillant, ovale et denté. Le Stachys monieri conserve ses grandes feuilles gaufrées et luisantes à la faveur d’un hiver doux. Le Stachys officinalis est formé de grandes feuilles caduques vert de gris rugueuses et dentelées.

En été, de juin à octobre, selon les régions et les espèces, de belles inflorescences en épis se dressent au-dessus du feuillage. A l’extrémité des tiges s’épanouissent des épis verticillés (disposés en cercles autour de la tige) composés d’une multitude de fleurs minuscules tubulaires, labiées, souvent crochues, de 1 à 3 cm de long et regroupées en bouquets, évoquant celles d’une sauge.

Plusieurs espèces et couleurs : Stachys byzantina, Stachys officinalis ‘Pink Cotton Candy’, Stachys monieri ‘Hummelo’.

Chez le Stachys byzantina, les fleurs sont enserrées et noyées dans des bractées laineuses presque blanches donnant un aspect très cotonneux à la plante. Ces flèches grises bien dessinées serties de petites boules de laine rose se détachent élégamment au-dessus du feuillage.

Certains cultivars du Stachys byzantina à l’instar du ‘Silver Carpet’ ne fleurissent pas mais forment de vastes tapis argentés.

Les autres épiaires comme les Stachys officinalis ou encore S.Grandiflora se distinguent par une floraison plus affirmée. Le Stachys grandiflora ‘Superba’ possède la floraison estivale rose pourpre la plus spectaculaire avec ses grands épis très lumineux.

Si les teintes déclinent le plus souvent tous les tons de rose, allant du rose violacé au rose bonbon, certaines épiaires moins répandues portent des fleurs écarlates (Stachys coccinea), jaune soufre (S. citrina) ou encore parfois blanches chez certaines bétoines officinales (Stachys officinalis ‘Alba’).

Les inflorescences de certaines épiaires comme le Stachys monnieri ‘Hummelo’ exhalent un léger parfum agréable lorsqu’on les frôle tandis que d’autres, comme l’épiaire des bois (Stachys sylvatica) encore appelée ortie puante dégagent une odeur déplaisante de champignon.

Cette floraison mellifère et nectarifère s’étale longuement tout l’été attirant les insectes butineurs.

Inflorescences fanées d’un Stachys byzantina et son feuillage duveteux atypique.

Bien rustique, le Stachys ne craint pas le froid et peut résister à des températures négatives jusqu’à -20°C, parfois davantage. C’est une vivace peu exigeante qui tolère même les embruns et la sécheresse. Elle pousse au soleil (même si elle peut aussi s’accommoder de la mi-ombre) et préfère, notamment le Stachys byzantina, les terres drainées, pauvres, caillouteuses et rocailleuses. C’est une vivace frugale qui succombe dans un sol humide, mal drainé.

Mais à famille hétéroclite, besoins différents ! Le Stachys grandiflora et le Stachys officinalis s’épanouiront davantage dans un sol pas trop sec, léger ou lourd même humide.

Cette vivace laineuse ou glabre mérite qu’on lui réserve une place de choix dans tous les jardins naturels ou sauvages, en bordure de massif, en masse le long d’une allée, en couvre-sol, en rocaille pas trop aride ou encore dans un jardin de simples pour les Stachys officinalis utilisés depuis l’antiquité pour leurs propriétés médicinales.

Main species and varieties

The most popular

Our favourites

Another interesting variety

Stachys byzantina Big Ears

A magnificent soft blue-grey foliage, larger than in other species! Its leaves measure up to 20 cm long! To be planted in full sun, in dry, rocky soil.

• Flowering time July to September
• Height at maturity 40 cm

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Stachys byzantina

This is the best-known bear's ear, appreciated for the softness of its silver-grey woolly foliage. It quickly forms a very dense, evergreen ground cover. Beautiful all year round with no maintenance!

• Flowering time July to September
• Height at maturity 40 cm

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Stachys grandiflora superba

Spectacular, it forms a very dense clump covered with large flowering spikes in summer of a magnificent bright purple-tinged pink.

• Flowering time July to September
• Height at maturity 50 cm

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Stachys officinalis Pink Cotton Candy

This is the medicinal woundwort known since antiquity for its medicinal properties. It is also a decorative perennial that is easy to grow. Very hardy, it combines the naive charm of its flowering with the sturdiness of wild plants.

• Flowering time August to November
• Height at maturity 50 cm

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Stachys monieri Hummelo

Little known, this is a montane stachys that is very hardy and easy to grow in borders, rockeries, or containers. This variety is distinguished by its very beautiful violet flowering.

• Flowering time August to November
• Height at maturity 50 cm

See the product sheet

Young plantation

Where to plant Stachys?

The Stachys is an easy-going perennial herbaceous plant, resistant to both cold (sometimes down to -25°) and drought or sea spray. It can be planted anywhere in France, even by the sea in holiday gardens. Its good drought resistance makes Stachys byzantina a plant well-suited to the Mediterranean climate.

However, depending on the species, this Lamiaceae has cultural requirements that can sometimes be opposing.

Stachys byzantina or woolly hedge-nettle requires only a well-drained, dry, rocky, or even poor soil. It particularly enjoys calcareous conditions. While it prefers somewhat spartan growing conditions, it can still be accommodating in light shade in any light, well-drained soil. In overly humid winter climates, this hedge-nettle may lose some of its splendour. North of the Loire, it must be exposed to full south and planted in elevation, on a slope for example, to avoid stagnant moisture in winter.

Conversely, plant S. grandiflora and S. officinalis in partial shade in warm climates in rather rich, well-drained, cool, even heavy, moist soil.

Although Stachys is not at all invasive despite its running rhizomes, it will quickly occupy the space allocated to it, forming a dense mat up to 60 cm wide, with clumps expanding over the years. However, after flowering, the deciduous hedge-nettles present with wilted foliage forming a somewhat neglected mat that can easily be masked by planting among them, erythrones, wood anemones, pulmonarias, or euphorbias.

This perennial adapts to many situations and becomes quite wandering over time! Stachys is a useful ground cover that limits the proliferation of weeds.

Beautiful all year round, the fluffy cultivars of Stachys byzantina will quickly form a ground cover that is as pleasant to look at as it is to touch, making them perfect for dry rockeries, on difficult-to-vegetate slopes, at the front of a flower bed, in pots, or in a dry or gravel garden bordering a mineral massif.

You can also plant it en masse along a path or use it to elegantly edge a summer flower bed.

Stachys grandiflora and S. officinalis will also thrive near a pond.

When to plant Stachys?

Plant Stachys in autumn from September to November or in spring from February to April, avoiding periods of frost and drought.

How to plant Stachys?

The soil should be well worked to a depth before planting your stachys. Space the plants about 20 to 40 cm apart and count 4 to 5 plants per m² for a beautiful effect.

• Dig a hole 3 to 5 times wider than the root ball and about 50 cm deep
• Add gravel to the bottom of the hole
• Place the plant in the centre of the hole, without burying the collar
• Bring the soil back to encircle the roots
• Firm the soil and then water regularly until established

In pots

Pot cultivation is possible: the substrate must be very well-draining to avoid stagnant moisture at the roots. Position the Stachys in full sun in a large pot about thirty centimetres in diameter, at the bottom of which you will have spread a good layer of drainage (gravel or clay balls). Plant in a mixture of potting soil, garden soil, and gravel. Protect them from winter rains in the bad season by placing them in a greenhouse.

Care and Maintenance of Stachys

The Stachys requires almost no maintenance and proves to be a perennial with exceptional health that can thrive for long periods without any care. It is the ideal plant for weekend gardens or gardens without gardeners! Some varieties, such as Stachys byzantina ‘Silver Carpet’, form an unchanging green carpet all year round with no maintenance.

Other Stachys may still require regular “clean-ups” to maintain their attractive appearance.

Dried flower spikes of Stachys monieri ‘Hummelo’ at the end of winter (photo by Virginie Douce).

Remove faded flowers after flowering at the end of summer to enhance the foliage, prevent the plant from becoming bare, and encourage it to produce new leaves for a dense, attractive appearance. Perfectionists may use scissors to remove the flower spikes at the base as soon as they appear, believing that their presence detracts from the plant’s spreading habit.

Stachys self-seeds very easily in light soil, provided the flower spikes are left intact.

Remove faded leaves as needed. A little spring cleaning can be beneficial, as the wilted foliage of Stachys is not the most aesthetically pleasing. As winter ends, eliminate all damaged, dry, or frost-blackened leaves.

Drought-resistant, Stachys byzantina is perfect for a dry garden, without watering, even fearing excess water, and as it prefers the arid conditions of poor, stony soils, fertiliser applications are not desirable. In heavy, wet soils, it may only survive for a short time.

In summer, only water in cases of extreme heat without flooding the plant.

Water the other varieties of Betony and those grown in pots more regularly as soon as the soil is dry.

Stachys byzantina must be protected from winter moisture. While it is not particularly susceptible to many issues, this Stachys is sensitive to heavy soils that are waterlogged in winter, which can reduce its hardiness and cause root rot: the soil must remain perfectly drained.

Diseases and potential pests

The Stachys is a versatile plant, robust and resilient. Little susceptible to diseases, it fears almost nothing, only the gastropods that will relish its young leaves in spring.

In case of excessive nutrient and water supply, Stachys byzantina may become sensitive to powdery mildew: spray with horsetail decoctions or nettle manure and above all, let it live its life!

Multiplication of Stachys

At home in your garden, the Betony or Stachys will self-seed spontaneously. It multiplies by sowing seeds in May-June or in autumn and can be divided and propagated by cuttings very easily.

By sowing

• After harvesting the well-ripened seeds of Stachys in late summer, sow in pots or trays in a sandy mix of potting soil and garden soil, covering them just barely
• Place under a cold frame
• Water the substrate regularly
• Transplant to the garden when the seedlings have hardened off well

By division

• Carry out at the beginning of spring
• Using a spade, take some shoots from the periphery of the clump
• Replant these divisions immediately in the garden in well-worked light soil

By herbaceous cutting

• At the beginning of summer, take a flower spike with a piece of slightly rooted rhizome
• Cut the top part of the spike
• Plant the lower 10 cm directly in the garden
• Water regularly; the success rate is nearly infallible!

Associating Stachys in the garden

The Stachys is the must-have perennial for natural gardens and sun-loving naturalistic gardens, wild or romantic, in flower beds and country borders. With excellent drought and salt spray resistance, Stachys byzantina is indispensable in dry gardens, in a mineral garden and in holiday gardens by the sea or Mediterranean gardens where it forms stunning velvety carpets all year round. It is the ideal plant for creating large beds in silver-white gardens.

Elegant, almost white, this silver-clad perennial highlights any companion plant with great delicacy.

The Stachys pairs well with all other plants, whether perennials or annuals, simple or majestic, in bright shades or soft hues.

With its bright silver-grey foliage, Stachys byzantina or “Lamb’s Ears” is an excellent ground cover that deserves a prominent place at the front of a flower bed, its rosettes of silver leaves merging into a wooly mat laden with small magenta flowers. It adds a touch of flair to pink, mauve, and soft blue themes. Pair it with other silver or coloured foliage perennials such as wormwoods and lavenders, carnations, and Helichrysum italicum.

An example of pairing in a romantic bed: Rose ‘Raubritter’, Lavender, Stachys byzantina, Campanula lactiflora ‘Prichard’s Variety’, Allium ‘Globemaster’.

In a mineral bed, it will pair wonderfully with sedums, low grasses like Stipa tenuifolia and blue fescues, yarrow, or spurge.

In country beds, it will look magnificent alongside wild-looking plants such as blue thistle (Eryngium giganteum), perennial or shrubby sages, comfrey, borage, centauries, nepeta, cosmos, and asters.

Its silver foliage, soft as wool, serves as a backdrop for pastel-hued plants, in pink/silver harmonies by mixing soft pink or pink-violet shades. The fluffy flower spikes of the stachys will harmonise perfectly, ensuring a poetic foreground with columbines, gauras, and hardy geraniums.

In the centre of a bed, it will thrive at the foot of shrub roses in delicate and romantic scenes. The bushy habit and opulent, downy foliage of Stachys will also soften the somewhat strict appearance of the roses.

You can also plant the hedges en masse along a path with ground-cover roses, ornamental Allium, lilies, and Myosotis (Brunnera).

And to play with colour contrasts, pair it with the vibrant scarlet blooms of lobelias, crocosmias, or magenta or yellow Coreopsis, Echinaceas, ligularias, spurge, and Helenium.

An example of pairing with contrasting colours: Stachys monieri ‘Hummelo’, Origanum ‘Rosenkuppel’, Cosmos atrosanguineus (‘Chocamocha’ is a very close variety), Sanguisorba ‘Chocolate Tip’, Achillea millefolium ‘Terracotta’.

In pots, it will pair wonderfully with a sea cineraria for a vibrant silver composition.

Stachys grandiflora, on the other hand, will thrive better in moist and heavy soil, not far from a pond, alongside astilbes, hostas, and ferns.

Medicinal hedges like Stachys officinalis ‘Pink Cotton Candy’ will naturally find their place in the herb garden, in the herb squares alongside thyme, sages, savoury, hyssop, and lavender.

→ Discover more pairing ideas with Stachys in our advice sheet!