Lavender

No garden should be without lavender.  Lavender’s lovely purple flowers and crisp, clean aroma soothe the eye, delight the nose, and calm the spirit.   Lavender thrives in hot, dry places where other plants droop and requires little care when established.  The silver foliage of most lavenders blends well in the mixed border.  If you have any sunny spots in your garden you must fill them with lavender.

The Latin name Lavandula means “to wash.” The Romans used lavender in their bath water and to wash clothing and linins.  In the Middle ages washing ones body with anything was pretty much abandoned, but the use of lavender to scent perfumes and strew about rooms to cover up odors was continued.  Even today the use of lavender in perfumes, soaps and other cosmetics continues to be popular.   When asked to describe the scent of lavender most people use words like clean, fresh, or pine- like.  The different species of Lavender also have a slight difference in smell.  The scent of lavender is most heavy from the flowers but the leaves of lavender are also aromatic.

In the garden lavender is often used as an edging to walks and patios where brushing against it releases the heavenly scent. It is also good for sunny mixed borders. 

There are several species of lavender from which most garden varieties were bred. The species also cross freely, producing many hybrids.  The hardiest varieties are produced from English lavender,  Lavandula angustifolia and include ‘Hidcote’- silver foliage, deep purple flowers, ‘Hidcote Pink’- a light pink flower, ‘Munstead’- blue flowers, very fragrant, ‘Provence’- larger leaves, extremely fragrant, ‘Twickel Purple’- rosy purple, ‘Grosso’- deep purple and heavy in perfume oils, ‘Blue Cushion’- blue flowers on a dwarf, rounded plant, ‘Goldberg’- leaves edged with gold and deep blue flowers. English lavender varieties vary in zone hardiness, but some are hardy to zone 5.

Spanish or French Lavender (Lavandula stoechas) has a strange looking tufted flower.  It grows best in warm, dry areas. Most varieties of Spanish lavender are only reliably hardy to zone 8. The variety ‘Kew Red’ has fuchsia colored flowers.  ‘Silver Anouk’ is the hardiest variety, possibly to zone 5 and has deep purple flowers and silver foliage.

Lavandula dentate has broader toothed foliage with a wooly look. It also goes by the common name of French lavender.  It is only winter hardy to zone 8.  The flowers look like compressed wands or tiny purple cattails.  They have a slightly different scent than Lavandula angustifolia varieties.

Lavandula latifolia is also known as Portuguese lavender or broad leaved lavender.  The leaves are coarse and have a high oil content.  The flowers are pale purple and have a strong scent that is more medicinal than pleasant to my nose than English lavender.  It’s hardy to zone 6.

Lavandin, or the name  Lavandula. x intermedia,  usually refers to crosses of lavender species.  These vary widely in looks, smell and hardiness.

Most Lavender varieties have small, narrow leaves, of a gray green color.  Some varieties have wider, toothed leaves and some have feathery, fern-like leaves.  There are varieties of lavender that have variegated foliage. 

The flowers of lavender arise on long stems and consist of whorls of tiny flowers.   Flower colors range from deep purple to paler blues and shades of violet, pink and white.  The flowers have many scent and nectar glands and are very attractive to bees and butterflies.  If you want fragrance be aware that some varieties produce very little scent.

Growing Lavender

Lavender is usually propagated by cuttings or layering and gardeners will want to start with plants for most varieties.  Determined gardeners can start lavender seed although the germination rate for seeds is low and slow.  ‘Lady’ is the best lavender variety to try growing from seed as its germination rate is higher and it will bloom the first year from seed.

In zones 5 and lower you may need to experiment with different varieties of lavender as some do better in some sites than others.   Check the zone requirements before purchase, not all lavenders are hardy to the same zone.   In zone 5-6 lavender survives best when it is protected from winter winds, by fences, buildings or other plants.  Do not cover lavender with mulch in winter however, as it tends to rot the plant. 

Leave plenty of room around lavender plants to increase airflow in the summer. Lavender is native to the Mediterranean areas, and likes sunny, dry conditions.  Wet winters and high summer humidity can cause problems for the plant.  

Lavender prefers loose, well-drained soil.  It does well in soils with low fertility; a soil on the “lean” side produces more flowers and a stronger fragrance. Fertilizing lavender is generally unnecessary. 

Although lavender requires little water when established, new plants should receive regular watering.   Lavender rarely suffers from disease and has no important insect pests.

Lavender can make a large shrubby bush in ideal conditions.  It is semi-evergreen, with the leaves persisting through winter.  It is hard to tell in the spring what parts were winter killed and pruning should be delayed until new leaves begin sprouting on the branches.  Once you can tell what has survived you can make decisions on what needs to be pruned.  Prune off dead wood and if you want to shape or shorten lavender, late spring is the time to do it.   If your lavender plant has become very dense and woody you may wish to shear off about half of the plant to promote fresh growth.  After about 5 years many lavender plants look very straggly and need to be replaced.

You can harvest lavender flowers at any stage, but flowers that are left on the plant should be removed when they have finished blooming.  These are still very fragrant and can be used to scent potpourri.  

Herbal and other uses of lavender

The dried flowers of lavender are placed in drawers and closets to repel insects and scent the material.  The scent of lavender is said to repel flies.  Lavender is used in aromatherapy, the scent is calming. The oil and dried herb are used in many cosmetic preparations, including soaps and perfumes.   Lavender is used to make lemonade and flavor ice cream and sometimes used to flavor pastry and sweets.

Lavender essential oil is used as an abortifacient, antibiotic, antiseptic, antispasmodic, carminative and emmenagogue.  Externally it’s used for wounds, infections, insect stings, and burns.  It’s a traditional remedy for headache, the oil is rubbed on the forehead.  It’s taken internally for digestive problems and to induce menstruation.

Cautions:  Lavender oil shouldn’t be rubbed on young boy’s skin.  It has some hormonal actions and may cause breast enlargement.  (Women rub away.)  Pregnant women should be very careful using lavender as it may cause abortion.   It’s recommended that lavender not be used for 2 weeks before a scheduled surgery because of its effect on the nervous system.  Lavender taken internally can cause constipation.

Don’t be afraid to try lavender in your garden even if your conditions seem less than ideal.  Lavender is tough and adapts to many sites.   If you don’t succeed the first time try again.   And lavender is just one of those plants a gardener needs to grow to call his or her self a gardener.