1 / 4Key characteristics
- Family
- Lamiaceae
- Height
- 12 to 24 inches
- Width
- 12 to 18 inches
- Flower color
- Purple-pink, in dense spikes
- Foliage color
- Dark green, wrinkled, and lance-shaped
- Bloom time
- Summer
- Light
- Full sun to partial shade
- Water
- Moderate
- Maintenance
- Low; deadhead spent flowers to encourage rebloom
- Growing zone
- USDA zones 4 to 8
- Wildlife
- Attracts bees and butterflies
Perennials
Stachys officinalis
Betony
Stachys officinalis, commonly known as betony, is a hardy perennial that produces dense spikes of small, tubular, rose-purple flowers from early to mid-summer. The flower spikes rise above a clump of wrinkled, dark green foliage, creating an attractive contrast. The blooms are long-lasting and attract pollinators, making them a vibrant addition to garden spaces.
Originating from Europe, Stachys officinalis has a long history of use in traditional gardens, prized for both its ornamental value and its historical medicinal uses.
Works well in
- Borders
- Cottage Gardens
- Pollinator Gardens
- Containers
Companion plants
Bleeding hearts · Catmint · Heucheras · Lady's mantle · Hellebores · Hardy geraniums
Design tip
Summer flowers carry the middle of the season, so place it where the bed needs color once spring bulbs fade. Because it is easy about light, use it to carry a planting from a sunny end of the bed into the shadier side.
Where to see it
This plant can be seen in the perennial border at the Bellevue Botanical Garden.
More perennials
Astilbe simplicifolia 'Hennie Graafland'
Hennie Graafland Astilbe
Blooms pale pink, airy plumes
Partial shade to full shade
Astilbe x rosea 'Peach Blossom'
Peach Blossom Astilbe
Blooms soft peach-pink plumes
Partial shade to full shade
Calamagrostis x acutiflora 'Karl Foerster'
Foerster's Feather Reed Grass
Blooms pink-purple tinged turning to blonde-tan
Full sun to partial shade
Primula japonica
Candleabra Primrose
Blooms shades of pink, red, purple, and white
Partial shade