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Gardening in Oz

Can someone identify this plant?

10 years ago

I was wondering if someone might be able to help me identify a long since departed plant my girlfriend used to have in her garden so I can purchase her a replacement as a present.

I'm afraid I have no photos of it and the only description I can provide is what she told me, that it was 'silverish' and had 'soft, furry leaves. Like a kangaroo's ears'.

Does anybody know what this plant may be? It sounds quite distinctive so I'm hoping somebody out there may have some idea. I believe it was a native plant.

Any help would be much appreciated.

Comments (3)

alisonoz_gw
10 years ago
Well my best guess is Stachys byzantina which has a common name of "Lamb's ears" or "Lamb's tongue". It is a groundcover, a perennial, with silvery grey leaves which have a woolly, velvet feel. You should be able to find it in a nursery or the garden section of, say, Bunnings, where it is often sold as a 6-pack perennial.
If I'm wrong, it's such a charming little plant she'll probably enjoy it anyway and love you more for your efforts.

Here is a link that might be useful: lambs ears
funnelweb
10 years ago
Yes, my thoughts too, alisonoz. There was a picture of a probable lambs ear on this site a month or two ago wrapped around some sort of cylinder with what looked like some orchid flowers. Maybe gd18 might go a searching? Should be still there.
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Hi, Randy Man. Are you aware that there is a forum just for plant ID here on Houzz and Gardenweb called Name that Plant? Typically folks start a new post for each new plant they want IDed because a new post gets more eyeballs than if you add to a post that has appeared before. Here are the direct links for GardenWeb and Houzz. You will see the same posts in both. https://www.gardenweb.com/discussions/namegal https://www.houzz.com/discussions/name-that-plant
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The leaf is 9 1/2 long by 6 inches wide, about 3 times the size of other foxglove plants that I have. Why is it so much bigger?
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gd18
Original Author
10 years ago
Thanks very much for your replies

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