Common Lavender Lavandula angustifolia
Other Common Name(s):
- Phonetic Spelling
- lah-VAN-dew-lah an-gus-tih-FOH-lee-ah
- This plant has low severity poison characteristics.
- See below
- Description
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English lavender is an evergreen perennial shrub in the Lamiaceae (mint) family that is native to Mediterranean areas. It is well loved but at times difficult to grow in North Carolina.
This plant requires perfectly drained soil, preferably on the dry side, and full sun. English lavender does not like wet feet and will die out in heavy clays. It is easily transplanted and prefers neutral to alkaline soils. Propagate by seed, division or stem cutting.
A dwarf shrub that is broadly mounded, English lavender grows up to 2 feet tall and 3 feet wide.. It blooms in the summer and has aromatic leaves, flowers, and dry seed heads. This plant is the source of the true oil of lavender. The flowers can be dried and used in potpourri. Cut it back yearly and remove the spent flower spikes after the flowers fade.
This plant can be used as a border or low hedge and in mass plantings, or containers. A versatile companion, it is well suited for a wide variety of gardens, including butterfly, pollinator, children's, cutting, edible, herb, and rock gardens. It is also appreciated in a garden for the blind.
Quick ID Hints:
- Thin, linear leaves are blue-green, concolorous, and aromatic
- Inflorescence is a terminal spike and sweetly aromatic
Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems: No significant problems. However, it is susceptible to leaf spot and root rot. Root rot is caused by overwatering. Providing good air circulation helps prevent leaf spot.
VIDEO Created by Laura Barth for "Vegetables, Herbs, Fruits, and Nuts", a plant identification course offered in partnership with Longwood Gardens.
- Profile Video:
- See this plant in the following landscapes:
- Floricyle Crevice Garden at the Guilford County Extension Center Vegetable Garden at Reynolda Gardens Retaining Wall Garden Border Landscape Pinewild County Club, Moore County
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- 'Hidcote'
Compact mounded form to 20" tall - 'Munstead'
- 'Phenomenal'
Hybrid with early blooms and bushy compact habit
- 'Hidcote'
- 'Hidcote', 'Munstead', 'Phenomenal'
- Tags:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
-
- 'Hidcote'
Compact mounded form to 20" tall - 'Munstead'
- 'Phenomenal'
Hybrid with early blooms and bushy compact habit
- 'Hidcote'
- 'Hidcote', 'Munstead', 'Phenomenal'
- Tags:
-
-
Attributes:
- Genus:
- Lavandula
- Species:
- angustifolia
- Family:
- Lamiaceae
- Uses (Ethnobotany):
- Potpourris; herb pillows; crafts, vinegars, jellies.
- Life Cycle:
- Perennial
- Recommended Propagation Strategy:
- Division
- Seed
- Stem Cutting
- Country Or Region Of Origin:
- Mediterranean region France, Italy, Spain
- Play Value:
- Attractive Flowers
- Fragrance
- Particularly Resistant To (Insects/Diseases/Other Problems):
- Drought tolerant.
- Dimensions:
- Height: 1 ft. 0 in. - 2 ft. 0 in.
- Width: 2 ft. 0 in. - 3 ft. 0 in.
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Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Edible
- Herbaceous Perennial
- Shrub
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Broadleaf Evergreen
- Habit/Form:
- Broad
- Mounding
- Multi-stemmed
- Rounded
- Growth Rate:
- Medium
- Maintenance:
- Low
- 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
- Available Space To Plant:
- 12 inches-3 feet
- NC Region:
- Coastal
- Mountains
- Piedmont
- USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
- 5a, 5b, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b, 9a, 9b
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Fruit:
- Fruit Type:
- Capsule
- Fruit Description:
- Fruits are non-ornamental nutlets.
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Flowers:
- Flower Color:
- Pink
- Purple/Lavender
- White
- Flower Inflorescence:
- Spike
- Flower Value To Gardener:
- Edible
- Good Cut
- Good Dried
- Showy
- Flower Bloom Time:
- Summer
- Flower Shape:
- Funnel
- Trumpet
- Flower Petals:
- 4-5 petals/rays
- Flower Size:
- 1-3 inches
- Flower Description:
- Plant produces many flowers in the summer that are usually lavender-purple, but can also be pink or white. The calyx is aromatic. Calyx is cylindrical to urceolate. Flowers are less than half an inch in size, and are 13-veined. Flowers are also 5-toothed, and the teeth are often purple and tomentose. Corolla is 2-lipped. The upper lip is 2-lobed while the lower lip is 3-lobed and nearly half an inch in size. Lobes are large and purple or blue. Flowers grow on a long-stalked, terminal spike that is .7-3" long. Peduncles are 2-6".
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Leaves:
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Broadleaf Evergreen
- Leaf Color:
- Gray/Silver
- Green
- Leaf Feel:
- Soft
- Velvety
- Leaf Value To Gardener:
- Fragrant
- Leaf Type:
- Simple
- Leaf Arrangement:
- Opposite
- Leaf Shape:
- Lanceolate
- Linear
- Obtuse
- Leaf Margin:
- Entire
- Hairs Present:
- Yes
- Leaf Length:
- < 1 inch
- Leaf Width:
- < 1 inch
- Leaf Description:
- Leaves are opposite, simple, linear to lanceolate, obtuse, revolute, white tementose, entire, gray-green to bluish green, and are .4-1" long and less than an inch wide. They are aromatic when bruised. They provide an interesting color in summer gardens.
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Stem:
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
- Stem Cross Section:
- Square
- Stem Surface:
- Hairy (pubescent)
- Stem Description:
- Stems are tomentose.
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Landscape:
- Landscape Theme:
- Butterfly Garden
- Children's Garden
- Cutting Garden
- Edible Garden
- Garden for the Blind
- Pollinator Garden
- Rock Garden
- Design Feature:
- Border
- Hedge
- Mass Planting
- Small groups
- Attracts:
- Butterflies
- Pollinators
- Resistance To Challenges:
- Drought
- Dry Soil
- Problems:
- Frequent Disease Problems
- Problem for Cats
- Problem for Dogs
- Problem for Horses
