Lavendula is the lavender genus with about 47 species in the mint family (Lamiaceae) and is native to Europe. Flowers and leaf shapes will vary per species. Size also varies, and they may grow 1 to 4 feet tall and 1 to 2 feet wide. The entire plant is fragrant, and the showy summer flowers are bee magnets. This plant prefers to grow in cool summer areas and may struggle in the southeast. Be sure to give it very well-drained soil and some protection from the hot afternoon sun. It dislikes acid, clay soil, so it may be easier to grow in a container, with added grit or perlite. It needs neutral or alkaline soil, so ground oyster shells are a useful amendment. Prune this plant to 4-6 inches when all chance of frost is past. This will encourage a bushier and more compact appearance. Prune the flowers when they are getting old to prevent the plant from becoming too woody. Lavender is widely used in perfumes, soaps, lotions and in herbal medicine. It can be used to make teas and as a flavoring. It can be grown in a rock garden, pollinator garden, edible garden or containers Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems: Susceptible to leaf spot and root rot if the soil is too wet. VIDEO created by Andy Pulte for “Landscape Plant Identification, Taxonomy and Morphology” a plant identification course offered by the Department of Plant Sciences, University of Tennessee.
Curated pairwise relationships between this plant and others in the library — who feeds
whom, who competes, who confuses the pests. Green reads as a good pairing, red as one to avoid.
No curated interactions recorded for this species yet.
Also noted by NC State
Related species the NC State Plant Toolbox flags for this plant — look-alikes to tell
apart, and plants that play a similar role in a planting. Ones we carry in the library are linked.
Leaves vary per species. They are usually gray-green with fine hairs. They can be simple, pinnately toothed or multiple pinnate and dissected. Leaves contain essential oils.
Flower color
Blue; Purple/Lavender; White
Flower value
Edible; Showy
Flower form
Spike
Flower shape
Tubular
Flower size
< 1 inch
Flower detail
Flowers vary per species but usually occur in whorls on spikes above the foliage. They are purple to lilac with some cultivars being white. The calyx and corolla are tubular with 5 lobes.
Bloom time
Summer
Fruit type
Capsule
Fruit detail
Fruits are non-ornamental dry capsules.
Stem color
Gray/Silver; Green
Stem detail
Square green-gray stems
Wildlife & Ecology
Native status
Non-native
Origin
Europe
Wildlife value
Good nectar plant for bees and butterflies
Attracts
Pollinators
Food & Medicine
Harvest time
Fall
Fruit type
Capsule
Edibility
Teas can be made from the plant or used as a spice
Uses (ethnobotany)
Has been used in herbal medicine. Also for decorations as dried flowers
Landscape Use
Landscape location
Container; Patio; Walkways
Landscape theme
Asian Garden; Butterfly Garden; Edible Garden; English Garden; Fairy Garden; Garden for the Blind; Pollinator Garden; Rock Garden