Rough Draft 1.0 9 /17/2020
Intro
Lavender encompasses about 39 species and comes from the mint family Lamiaceae. This bush is native to countries bordering the Mediterranean (e.g., Spain, France, Egypt, Italy, Greece, Morocco, etc). Lavender is an herb and can be common in herb gardens or used as a landscape border for their fragrant leaves and beautiful purple and blue flowers. The fragrance is unmistakable and is loved all over the world. They are also commonly extracted of their essential oils for health, and that also fragrance our soaps and lotions to name a few.
The Top 5 Varieties
- English Lavender – Lavandula angustifolia
“True Lavender”
This Lavender is known for its high quality of Lavender oil that is why this variety is called the true or common Lavender. This is the lavender plant that is readily available and is purchased most often. Flowering usually occurs in late spring to early summer in June or July and typically lasts 3-4 weeks. English Lavender can generally tolerate much colder weather,
2. French Lavender – Lavandula dentata
Constant and an Early Bloomer in the Spring and Beyond. The leaves are evergreen. The flowers are a pale lilac in color and blooms from June to September depending on the weather.
Most early blooming Lavender can be found within the French Lavender. This plant can bloom as early as May. More blooms are known to display another bouquet in June and again in late summer or fall.
3. Lavandin – Lavandula x intermedia
Lavandin has been cultivated to become a hybrid between English and Portuguese Lavender. Flowering ontop of grey foliage takes place usually in July and August and tends to continue into late summer. This hybrid of lavender, is a good choice for climates that experience both high and low temperatures. Throughout the year, it is tolerant of both cold and hot weather.
4. Lavandula latifolia – Spike lavender
This lavender has a much more pungent scent. The leaves are evergreen and the flowers grow in a spikely fashion and may be mistaken as a wildflower. This breed of lavender is found mostly in the western Mediterranean region from central Portugal to northern Italy, through Spain and southern France. This lavender flowers from June to September.
5. Spanish Lavender – Lavandula stoechas
Spanish Lavender is native to the Mediterranean region and North Africa, Spanish Lavender seems to be a more suitable lavender choice for those who garden in hot humid climates.
Best Lavenders for Pots and Containers
Any lavender variety will grow in a container, but some are better suited than others. Dwarf Blue, Munstead, Hidcote, Sweet, Sharon Roberts, and Lavender Lady produce flowers fast and stay a manageable size in pots. Place pots in an area that receives at least eight hours of full sun daily; shade reduces growth and fragrance. In cooler summer areas place your pots on a concrete surface such as a patio, brick, or sidewalk to amplify the sun’s heat.
Lavender Care
Plant lavender in full sun and well-drained soil (add organic matter to improve heavy soils). Starting with the proper conditions is essential for successfully growing lavender. Water plants deeply but infrequently, when the soil is almost dry. Prune every year immediately after bloom.
Perennial Sun Lover
Also well described as a perennial shrub. All perennials come back after a dormant winter year after year just like a common known daffodil or tulip as an example. Lavender enjoys full sun and needs at least eight hours of sunlight per day.
Harvesting Tips
– Cut lavender stems when the lowest blossom opens. Make the cut slightly above the first set of leaves. Color will be more vivid when dried.
– Harvest stems early in the morning. Fragrance is the strongest then, and the blossoms will keep most of the perfume oils present, even when dried.
– Keep cutting blooming stems to encourage more growth. Plants can flower up to three times during a summer.
– Dry lavender in bundles hung upside down in a warm dark place for the deepest color. More essential oils will be retained, too.
All varieties of Lavender are very low maintenance and easy to care plants, providing they are growing in an appropriate environment and in conditions they prefer. Bees and butterflies are attracted to this plant as well as the passers by can always recognize and enjoy the scent of lavender.
Resource Links
https://www.gardenia.net/guide/lavender-main-types
https://www.gardenia.net/guide/lavender-varieties-and-blooming-seasons