Lavandula
Common Name(s):
- Phonetic Spelling
- la-VAN-du-lah
- Description
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Lavendula is the lavender genus with about 47 species in the Lamiaceae (mint) family and is native to Europe. Flowers and leaf shapes will vary per species. Size also varies and they may grow 1 to 4 feet tall and 1-2 feet wide. The entire plant is fragrant and the showy summer flowers are a bee magnet.
This plant prefers to grow in cool summer areas and may struggle in the southeast. Be sure to give it very well-drained soil and some protection from the hot afternoon sun and it may come back in the spring for you. It can be grown in a rock garden, pollinator garden, edible garden or containers
Prune this plant to 4-6 inches when all chance of frost is past. This will encourage a bushier and more compact appearance. Prune the flowers when they are getting old to prevent the plant from becoming too woody.Lavender is widely used in perfumes, soaps, lotions and in herbal medicine. It can be used to make teas and as a flavoring.
Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems: Susceptible to leaf spot and root rot if the soil is too wet.
VIDEO created by Andy Pulte for “Landscape Plant Identification, Taxonomy and Morphology” a plant identification course offered by the Department of Plant Sciences, University of Tennessee.
- Profile Video:
- See this plant in the following landscape:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- Tags:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- Tags:
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Attributes:
- Genus:
- Lavandula
- Family:
- Lamiaceae
- Uses (Ethnobotany):
- Has been used in herbal medicine. Also for decorations as dried flowers
- Life Cycle:
- Perennial
- Country Or Region Of Origin:
- Europe
- Wildlife Value:
- Good nectar plant for bees and butterflies
- Edibility:
- Teas can be made from the plant or used as a spice
- Dimensions:
- Height: 1 ft. 0 in. - 3 ft. 0 in.
- Width: 1 ft. 0 in. - 2 ft. 0 in.
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Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Herbaceous Perennial
- Perennial
- Shrub
- Habit/Form:
- Erect
- Multi-stemmed
- Growth Rate:
- Medium
- Maintenance:
- Medium
- Texture:
- Fine
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Cultural Conditions:
- Light:
- Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
- Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
- Soil Texture:
- Loam (Silt)
- Sand
- Shallow Rocky
- Soil pH:
- Alkaline (>8.0)
- Neutral (6.0-8.0)
- Soil Drainage:
- Good Drainage
- Occasionally Dry
- Available Space To Plant:
- 12 inches-3 feet
- NC Region:
- Mountains
- Piedmont
- USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
- 5a, 5b, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b, 9a, 9b
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Fruit:
- Display/Harvest Time:
- Fall
- Fruit Type:
- Capsule
- Fruit Description:
- Fruits are non-ornamental dry capsules.
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Flowers:
- Flower Color:
- Blue
- Purple/Lavender
- White
- Flower Inflorescence:
- Spike
- Flower Value To Gardener:
- Edible
- Showy
- Flower Bloom Time:
- Summer
- Flower Shape:
- Tubular
- Flower Petals:
- 4-5 petals/rays
- Flower Size:
- < 1 inch
- Flower Description:
- Flowers vary per species but usually occur in whorls on spikes above the foliage. They are purple to lilac with some cultivars being white. The calyx and corolla are tubular with 5 lobes.
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Leaves:
- Leaf Color:
- Gray/Silver
- Green
- Leaf Value To Gardener:
- Fragrant
- Leaf Type:
- Compound (Pinnately , Bipinnately, Palmately)
- Simple
- Leaf Arrangement:
- Alternate
- Leaf Margin:
- Entire
- Lobed
- Hairs Present:
- Yes
- Leaf Length:
- 1-3 inches
- Leaf Width:
- 1-3 inches
- Leaf Description:
- Leaves vary per species. They are usually gray-green with fine hairs. They can be simple, pinnately toothed or multiple pinnate and dissected. Leaves contain essential oils.
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Stem:
- Stem Color:
- Gray/Silver
- Green
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
- Stem Cross Section:
- Square
- Stem Description:
- Square green-gray stems
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Landscape:
- Landscape Location:
- Container
- Patio
- Walkways
- Landscape Theme:
- Asian Garden
- Butterfly Garden
- Edible Garden
- English Garden
- Pollinator Garden
- Rock Garden
- Design Feature:
- Border
- Small groups
- Attracts:
- Pollinators
- Resistance To Challenges:
- Deer
- Drought
- Rabbits
