About

Stachys olympica 'Cotton Boll' is a perennial in the genus Stachys grown for its dense, woolly, silver leaves and felted texture. Flowering stems are erect and may reach about 0.4–0.8 m, carrying small light purple flowers from June to September. Plants commonly appear in trade under related Stachys names. The crown regenerates fresh growth if the top dies back in cold winters.

Wikipedia contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0 — Stachys byzantina

About the genus

Stachys is a genus of plants, one of the largest in the mint family Lamiaceae. Estimates of the number of species vary from about 300 to about 450. Plants of the World Online accepts 373 species.

Wikipedia contributors, "Stachys", CC BY-SA 4.0 — Stachys

In the garden

Stachys olympica 'Cotton Boll' belongs to the genus Stachys and is part of the group of lamb's-ear or woundwort-type plants valued for their felted foliage. In cultivation these plants have been widely grown and are frequently found under synonyms such as Stachys lanata or Stachys byzantina. The flowering stems are typically erect, often branched and four-angled, producing small light purple flowers through June to September. Leaves are densely clothed in silky, lanate hairs that give the foliage a silver-grey aspect; the undersides may appear even paler. Plants tend to remain with foliage through milder winters but can die back to the crown during severe cold and then regenerate new growth the following season. Flowering stems generally rise to around 0.4–0.8 m and carry a modest number of reduced leaves, so the leaf texture remains the main ornamental feature outside the flowering period. Because its main attraction is tactile, place Stachys olympica 'Cotton Boll' where the silver leaves can be seen and felt at close range. The small light purple spikes add seasonal interest between June and September, while the persistent felted foliage provides structural contrast for adjacent planting.

More in the Stachys genus

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  Stachys 'Hidalgo'
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  Stachys albens
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  Stachys alpinalimestone woundwort
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  Stachys arvensisfield woundwort
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  Stachys byzantinalamb's ear
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  Stachys byzantina 'Cotton Boll'lamb's ear 'Cotton Boll'
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  Stachys chrysantha
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  Stachys coccineascarlet woundwort