Wood Betony
Stachys betonica
Climate Match for your location
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Wood Betony is an herbaceous perennial with dense spikes of magenta-pink flowers and textured foliage, traditionally valued for culinary and medicinal purposes. It is a reliable garden plant that tolerates part shade and attracts pollinators.
Why grow it
Wood Betony serves as a reliable mid-border perennial where many ornamental salvias require more consistent moisture or better drainage. Its dense flower spikes and textured foliage provide sustained visual interest through summer, and it establishes readily in part-shade conditions where some competing salvias perform poorly. For permaculture settings, it offers pollinator value comparable to other Stachys species while tolerating looser soil management typical of established polycultures.
Watch out for
In rich, consistently moist soils, plants may become leggy or prone to foliar diseases, particularly powdery mildew in humid climates with poor air circulation. Division every three to four years helps maintain vigor and prevents the center from thinning out. Deadheading extends bloom but is not essential for plant health, and allowing some flowers to set seed can encourage self-seeding in favorable microsites.
Overview
- Form
- Growth Rate
- Size
- Dormancy
- Family
- Lamiaceae
Native Range
Europe and Western Asia
Seasonality
Bloom Season
Harvest Season
Edible Parts
Season of Interest
Notable Cultivars
'Superba' and 'Rosea' are popular cultivars known for deeper pink-magenta flower color and vigorous growth.
Herb
Soft non-woody plants of the field layer.
Succession Role
Tolerances & Soil
Establishment & Care
- Establishment
- Maintenance
- Propagation
Wood Betony is an herbaceous perennial with dense spikes of magenta-pink flowers and textured foliage, traditionally valued for culinary and medicinal purposes. It is a reliable garden plant that tolerates part shade and attracts pollinators.
Climate Match for your location
See how well Wood Betony grows in your area.
Enter your ZIP code and we'll show you how this plant fits your local climate.
Why grow it
Wood Betony serves as a reliable mid-border perennial where many ornamental salvias require more consistent moisture or better drainage. Its dense flower spikes and textured foliage provide sustained visual interest through summer, and it establishes readily in part-shade conditions where some competing salvias perform poorly. For permaculture settings, it offers pollinator value comparable to other Stachys species while tolerating looser soil management typical of established polycultures.
Watch out for
In rich, consistently moist soils, plants may become leggy or prone to foliar diseases, particularly powdery mildew in humid climates with poor air circulation. Division every three to four years helps maintain vigor and prevents the center from thinning out. Deadheading extends bloom but is not essential for plant health, and allowing some flowers to set seed can encourage self-seeding in favorable microsites.
Overview
- Form
- Growth Rate
- Size
- Dormancy
- Family
- Lamiaceae
Native Range
Europe and Western Asia
Seasonality
Bloom Season
Harvest Season
Edible Parts
Season of Interest
Herb
Soft non-woody plants of the field layer.
Succession Role
Tolerances & Soil
Establishment & Care
- Establishment
- Maintenance
- Propagation
Similar herbs you might consider:
Enter your ZIP code to see top native species and strong climate fits for you.
Companion Planting
Plants well with
Notable Cultivars
'Superba' and 'Rosea' are popular cultivars known for deeper pink-magenta flower color and vigorous growth.