Plant Spotlight: Perennial Plant of the Year 2019, Stachys monieri ‘Humello’
March 20, 2019 | By webadmin
Stachys ‘Humello’
Each year, the Perennial Plant Association picks a Plant of the Year. This year's pick is Stachys monieri ‘Humello’, also referred to by the common name betony.
Stachys ‘Humello’ is a cousin to a plant you are probably familiar with – Lamb’s Ear. Even though they are cousins, there are some big differences between the two plants. Stachys ‘Humello’ has low growing green foliage in contrast to the silver of lamb’s ear. This clumping perennial spreads by rhizomes to 2’ in width and reaches 12-18” in height. Long-lasting, rosy-purple flowers are held on stalks 12” above the dark green, crinkled foliage & being to bloom in early summer and continue all season. The flower stalks are strong & make great cut flowers.
Image from Perennial Plant Association and Janet Draper
Pollinator Plant
Part of the allure of ‘Humello’ is the fact that it is deer resistant and does not have many insect pests. One of the best features is that the flower spikes are highly attractive to pollinators such as bees & butterflies. Deadheading regularly can encourage more new blooms.
Plant ‘Humello’ to feed more pollinators in your garden.
Where to grow Stachys
This variety of Stachys grows in zones 4-8, and the foliage can stay evergreen in the warmer zones. It is best to leave foliage all winter, and clean up in the spring as necessary. ‘Humello’ can be planted in full sun, but in particularly warm & humid climates (such as ours here in Dallas) it can benefit from a bit of afternoon shade. Stachys do not like wet feet, which makes them a good plant choice for areas that don’t get a lot of irrigation water and have good drainage. Just like lamb’s ear. You can even plant ‘Humello’ in a container for an unexpected bit of texture, height, and color.
‘Humello’ is an easy grower and so it can benefit from being divided every few years. Simply dig up a clump in the spring & transplant to a new location.
‘Humello’ joins past PPA winners like Scabiosa columbaria ‘Butterfly Blue’ (2000), Echinacea purpurea ‘Magnus’ (1998), and Nepeta ‘Walker’s Low’ (2007), that pair nicely together in your perennial border.
We are always excited to incorporate winning plants like Stachys ‘Humello’ into landscapes. Great pick, Perennial Plant Association!
