Lavandula angustifolia (English Lavender) - Distinguished from other lavenders by its long thin leaves, Lavandula angustifolia forms a much branched shrub about 2-3 feet tall with mid-summer blooming stalks of pale lavender-blue flowers reaching 1-2 feet above the foliage.
This plant does best in the full sun and has low water needs. This is the hardiest of all lavenders and it can tolerate temperatures below 10° F. A nice lavender for cut flower use and reportedly, the blooms are edible.
Lavandula angustifolia is native to the Mediterranean Sea basin from Spain east to Croatia. The name for the genus is from the Latin 'lavare' or 'lavo' meaning "to wash" in reference to use of infusions of the plants. The specific epithet is Latin meaning "narrow leaf". This species was as previously known as Lavandula officinalis with this epithet referring to the plant's medicinal properties. Though not native to England, its most frequently used common name is English Lavender but it is also called Lavender, True Lavender, Garden Lavender, Common Lavender, and Narrow-leaved Lavender. Our crops of this plant, which we sold from 1993 until 2006 we all grown from seed.
The information about Lavandula angustifolia displayed on this web page is based on our research conducted in the nursery's horticultural library and from reliable online resources. We also include observations made about it as it grows in our nursery gardens and other gardens we have visited, as well how the crops have performed in containers in our nursery field. We will also incorporate comments we receive from others and welcome hearing from anyone with additional information, particularly if they can share cultural information that would aid others in growing this plant. |