Lamb’s-ear

Discuss this plant with the guide — choose this profile as a possible match and prepare your observations for Colorado Plants & Practical Care.

Stachys byzantina

Introduced low-water perennial. N-stachys-byzantina

Can spread; pet evidence gap. Native status, garden use and noxious-weed class are separate from toxicity. Exposure help.

Identification caveat: Cultivars differ in flowering and leaf size. Deer resistance does not demonstrate safety for pets.

Still researching this plant

This is a sourced working profile. Evidence is incomplete for People, Dogs & cats, Other animals. Identification and source-photo limits are explained below. Independent botanical and veterinary review is pending. Uncertainty is not a finding that the plant is safe.

Three views of this plant

Photos are source-identified examples, not a complete identification key. Check leaves, stems, flowers and fruit together. Locations are not assumed to be in Colorado.

**leaf detail** — Magnified lamb's-ear leaf tip densely covered in silvery hairs, with a 10 mm scale.
Stefan.lefnaer · CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo source and identification
Original record · Original image
Source-supported identification with visual consistency check Photo selection verifies source labeling and visible consistency; it is not an independent specimen determination.
Downloaded source thumbnail; no further pixel edits. Gallery display preserves the full image; the catalog preview uses a CSS crop.

**young foliage** — Close view of a soft, woolly shoot tip and unfolding pale leaves.
Salicyna · CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo source and identification
Original record · Original image
Source-supported identification with visual consistency check Photo selection verifies source labeling and visible consistency; it is not an independent specimen determination.
Downloaded source thumbnail; no further pixel edits. Gallery display preserves the full image; the catalog preview uses a CSS crop.

**flower** — Several upright woolly flower spikes bearing pink-purple flowers above fuzzy elongated leaves.
Cbaile19 · CC0
Photo source and identification
Original record · Original image
Source-supported identification with visual consistency check Photo selection verifies source labeling and visible consistency; it is not an independent specimen determination.
Downloaded source thumbnail; no further pixel edits. Gallery display preserves the full image; the catalog preview uses a CSS crop.

Recognize

Thick, soft, woolly silver leaves form low rosettes; flowering forms carry purplish-pink spikes. N-stachys-byzantina

Plants & habitat

Stems root where they touch soil. It can spread aggressively in favorable conditions; divide when needed and avoid wet soil. N-stachys-byzantina

People

A recommendation for sensory gardens is not a human ingestion-safety assessment. This is an evidence gap, not proof of safety.

Dogs & cats

Species-specific ingestion effects and exposure thresholds were not established in the reviewed sources. This is an evidence gap, not proof of safety.

Other animals

Species-specific ingestion effects and exposure thresholds were not established in the reviewed sources. This is an evidence gap, not proof of safety.

Before taking action

Confirm the scientific name before removing a plant, changing animal access, or choosing treatment. An evidence gap means this review has not resolved the question. It does not mean safe. For listed weeds, consult your county weed program about the requirements for your location; follow the current label for any pesticide. S27

References

N-stachys-byzantina — Stachys byzantina — Plant Toolbox, NC State Extension. Accessed 2026-09-07T00:23:58+00:00. Locator: Description, Attributes, Poisonous to Humans, Problems.

Content revised 2026-09-07 02:43:00Z · Source checks dated separately in the references.