Betonica officinalis 'Wisley White' (syn. Stachys officinalis)

White Betony Lamiaceae

A particularly neat white-flowered form of our native Wood Betony, Betonica officinalis ‘Wisley White’ (syn. Stachys officinalis ‘Wisley White’) forms compact rosettes of dark green, softly crinkled foliage, sending up numerous upright stems topped with dense spikes of remarkably pure white flowers. Unlike the usual rosy-purple flowers of the species, this selection has an almost luminous quality in the summer border, while retaining the easy-going nature and wildlife value of the wild plant. The flowers are highly attractive to bees and other pollinating insects, and the compact habit makes it particularly useful towards the front of a border or in a naturalistic planting. 

Its introduction is rather better documented than many garden selections. ‘Wisley White’ was introduced into cultivation by Washfield Nursery in England, and subsequently became distributed among specialist perennial growers. The name ‘Wisley White’ presumably reflects its association with the famous Royal Horticultural Society gardens at Wisley, although the precise circumstances of the original selection are less clearly recorded. The cultivar has subsequently circulated under the older name Stachys officinalis ‘Wisley White’, but current RHS treatment places the species in Betonica, giving the accepted name Betonica officinalis ‘Wisley White’. 

In cultivation it is an undemanding and long-lived perennial, happiest in well-drained soil in full sun or partial shade. It tolerates chalk, loam and sandy soils and is particularly effective in meadow-style planting, gravel gardens, cottage borders and beneath the lighter canopy of shrubs. Cutting back the spent flowering stems encourages a tidier second flush, while division in spring provides an easy means of propagation.

Height: 30–60 cm
Spread: 30–45 cm
Flowering: June–August
Hardiness: H7, below –20°C
Growing conditions: Well-drained soil; full sun to partial shade. Adaptable to chalk, loam and sand; avoid prolonged winter wet.
Range: Europe, including Britain, where the species is native.
Habit: Compact, clump-forming herbaceous perennial with basal rosettes of crinkled foliage and upright flowering stems.
Flowers: Pure white, densely packed flowers in upright terminal spikes.
Wildlife: Highly attractive to bees and other pollinating insects.
Introduction: Introduced into cultivation by Washfield Nursery, England. 
Nomenclature: Betonica officinalis ‘Wisley White’; formerly widely known as Stachys officinalis ‘Wisley White’. 
Family: Lamiaceae.