Stachys 'Hummelo Pink Cotton Candy' delivers tall wands of soft pink blooms held above a dense mat of fuzzy green foliage. This cultivar stands out with its airy structure and pastel hue offering a more delicate alternative to the vibrant purple of its parent. Long blooming and deer resistant, it creates a striking vertical accent in sunny borders while drawing a wide variety of pollinators to the garden.
Height & Spread: 18 - 24 in x 18 - 24 in
Bloom Time: Mid to late summer
Light Requirements: Full sun to part shade
Soil Preference: Well drained soil, tolerant of sandy or clay conditions
Watering Needs: Moderate; water deeply during prolonged dry periods
Deer Resistance: Deer and rabbit resistant due to textured foliage
Native Status
This selection originates from a hybrid of European Stachys species and is not native to North America, but it adapts well to cultivated sunny garden spaces.
WILDLIFE & INSECTS
Bees
- Highly attractive to honeybees, bumblebees, and native sweat bees that forage on the tubular pink flowers throughout summer.
Butterflies
- Draws butterflies such as Painted Ladies and Eastern Tiger Swallowtails seeking nectar during peak bloom time.
Beneficial Insects
- Visited by hoverflies and parasitic wasps that aid in pest control attracted by the open flower form and steady nectar flow.
Spacing & Landscape Use
Spacing Recommendations:
- Space plants 18 - 24 in apart to allow for full mound development and air circulation.
Landscape Placement:
- Excellent in perennial borders, pollinator gardens, and mass plantings where long flowering performance and wildlife support are desired.
Companion Plants
- Origanum laevigatum 'Herrenhausen' - Aromatic foliage and purple flowers pair beautifully with pink cotton candy tones.
- Coreopsis verticillata 'Moonbeam' - Light yellow blooms form a cheerful carpet at the base of taller Stachys stems.
- Echinacea purpurea 'Magnus' - Large daisy blooms in bright pink echo and deepen the Stachys flower tone.
- Salvia nemorosa 'Caradonna' - Dark purple flower spikes provide a vivid contrast to the soft pastel blooms of Stachys.
- Geranium 'Rozanne' - Cascading blue purple flowers complement and soften the upright growth of Stachys.