What Kind of Lavender Do I Have?

English Lavender

• English lavender is the most commonly cultivated lavender today. English lavender presents a pungent, floral and herbaceous aroma, prized for use in perfumes, cosmetics, aromatherapy and culinary applications. A hardy perennial, English lavender thrives in U.S. Department of Agriculture hardiness zones 5 to 11. There are dozens of different hybrids of English lavender including dwarf and tall varieties. The Hidcote Blue cultivar has dark purple flowers on 12 inch stems. Dwarf Blue presents dark, bluish purple flowers, on plants that grow under 12 inches tall and form clumps up to 18 inches wide. Jean Davis exhibits pale pink flowers on 15-inch-tall, clumping plants. Rosea presents deep pink flowers on 15-inch stems. Munstead Strain produces lavender flowers on 18 inch stems. Provence and Gross are extremely fragrant varieties that present dark violet flowers on stems that grow up to 3 feet tall. English lavender is available in varieties that exhibit purple, white, pink, mauve, blue or yellow flowers. Many varieties of English lavender have a mounding habit that makes them an excellent choice for edgings or borders in the flower bed.

French Lavender

• Lacking the intense flavor and fragrance of English lavender, French lavender is mainly used for fresh or dried floral arrangements. The flowers of French lavender are paler and somewhat smaller than English lavender. French lavender is winter hardy in USDA hardiness zones 8 through 11. The plant can grow to heights of up to 3 feet.

Spanish Lavender And More

• Spanish, Portuguese and North African varieties normally grow from 15 to 18 inches tall, with a mounding form and a distinct "pinecone" shaped, deep purple flower. These varieties grow well in USDA zones 8 through 11 and are well adapted for planting in humid locations. They tolerate a lot of moisture in the air, but still required well-drained soil. Lavender will not survive in standing water or excessively wet soils.

Growing Lavender

• Lavender grows best in locations with fun sun and well-drained soil. Select lavender varieties for planting based on climate, size and color of leaves and flowers. Most lavender varieties present feathery, silver-green foliage. Some varieties have less of the silver coloration, others are more silver than green. Provide adequate moisture, allowing soil to dry slightly before watering.