Lavender

Lavender is a woody, evergreen perennial herb famous for its distinctive fragrance and slender spikes of purple-blue flowers. English lavender is the hardiest and most aromatic type.

Its gray-green, needle-like foliage and compact mounding form make it as ornamental as it is useful, and it is a classic choice for borders, hedges, and herb gardens.

Widely grown for its fragrance and dried crafts, lavender is prized for thriving in hot, dry, poor conditions where many plants fail.

Recognize lavender by:

• Flowers: Small purple (sometimes blue, pink, or white) flowers clustered on slender spikes above the foliage.
• Foliage: Narrow, gray-green to silvery, needle-like leaves on woody stems.
• Fragrance: A strong, fresh, herbaceous aroma from leaves and flowers.
• Habit: A compact, rounded, bushy subshrub usually 1-2 feet tall.
• Stems: Square stems (typical of the mint family) that become woody at the base.

Lavender's golden rule is sun and sharp drainage.

• Light: Full sun, the more the better, for strong fragrance and flowering.
• Water: Drought tolerant once established; water sparingly and let soil dry between, as it hates wet feet.
• Soil: Lean, gritty, well-drained, slightly alkaline soil; avoid rich or soggy ground.
• Temperature: English lavender is cold-hardy; other types prefer milder, frost-free climates.
• Feeding: Little to no fertilizer; overfeeding reduces fragrance.
• Propagation: Best from softwood or semi-ripe cuttings; prune lightly after bloom to keep it from getting woody and leggy.

Lavender is native to the dry, rocky hillsides of the Mediterranean region, including southern Europe and northern Africa, where it grows in hot sun and poor, alkaline soils.

It is now cultivated worldwide in regions with Mediterranean-style climates, with famous commercial fields in Provence, France, and in parts of England, the United States, and Australia, grown for their dried flowers and fragrance.