Stachys horvaticii

Perennial of the Lamiaceae family, endemic to the southern Balkans, found in North Macedonia and Greece. It was long confused with Stachys iva Griseb., from which it is taxonomically distinct. It colonizes rocky areas, scree, and dry rocky slopes on alkaline to neutral substrates, in full sun exposure; the reference collection comes from the vicinity of Babuna, in North Macedonia, around 1,280 meters altitude.

The plant forms low, dense clumps of 8 to 20 cm, entirely covered with a dense white-silver to light-gray tomentum that uniformly envelops leaves, stems, and bracts. The basal leaves are oval to oblong, strongly wrinkled under the tomentum, forming a compact rosette at the first stage; the cauline leaves become progressively narrower and shorter towards the top of the flowering stems. This dense indument, which persists at all stages of development, is the most visible adaptation to the xericity of its habitat.

The bilabiate flowers, pale pinkish-white to pale lilac, with the upper lip more distinctly colored, are nestled in very condensed terminal whorls with well-developed woolly bracts. In its natural environment, its flowering probably extends from June to August depending on altitude and exposure; in cultivation, it occurs in the same period.

It requires poor, very well-drained soil, with an alkaline to neutral reaction, in full sun, with protection against stagnant winter moisture. Hardy to zone 6. It is suitable for mineral rock gardens, gravel gardens, and collection containers under a cold shelter.