Lavandula × christiana

Description: evergreen shrub; a vigorous hybrid species of disputed parentage that was discovered in the Moroccan garden of botanist, Jean Gattefossé in 1943. Deeply dissected foliage and bright violet-blue flowers on branched peduncles (stems) that create a trident shape. Not considered to be hardy in our climate but it can be easily wintered over in a greenhouse or grown as an annual outdoors.

Height: to 3 ft. Spread: to 4 ft.

Stem length: 12-20 in.  

Corolla: violet-blue

Bloom season: year round (if protected from frost)

Best Uses: containers, as an annual

Position: full sun and well-draining soil

Winter Hardiness: to 30 F and below

Drought: adapted to 5 months of summer drought

Lavandula × ginginsii 'Goodwin Creek Gray'

Description: evergreen shrub; the first record of a hybrid species known only to cultivation (L. dentata × L. lanata) and formally described in 1992 after being discovered by Jim and Dotty Becker of Goodwin Creek Gardens in Williams, Oregon. A very attractive shrub with deeply toothed, wooly foliage and long, slender flower spikes from mid summer well into autumn. Considerably longer-lived in very lean, gritty soils with little to no supplemental irrigation.

Height: to 3 ft. Spread: to 3 ft.

Stem length: 8-12 in.  

Corolla: dark blue

Calyx: dull purple

Bloom season: mid summer to autumn

Best Uses: containers, rock gardens

Position: full sun and well-draining soil

Winter Hardiness: to 10 F and below

Drought: adapted to 5 months of summer drought

Lavandula × losae

Description: evergreen shrub; a naturally ocurring hybrid species (of L. lanata and L. latifolia) found in the arid mountains of Almeria and Murcia, Spain. Compact, silver foliage and long-blooming, branched flower spikes with dark violet corollas. Considerably longer-lived in very lean, gritty soils with little to no supplemental irrigation.

Height: to 18 in. Spread: to 18 in..

Stem length: 4-6 in.  

Corolla: dark violet

Bloom season: mid summer

Best Uses: containers, rock gardens

Position: full sun and well-draining soil

Winter Hardiness: to 10 F and below

Drought: adapted to 5 months of summer drought

Lavandula buchii var. buchii

Description: evergreen shrub; a species endemic to Tenerife in  the Canary Islands. L. buchii var. buchii is distinguished from other varieties of L. buchii by its short, branched flower spikes (4-6 cm.) at the end of each peduncle (stem). Not considered to be hardy in our climate but it can be easily wintered over in a greenhouse or grown as an annual outdoors.

Height: to 3 ft. Spread: to 3 ft.

Stem length: 8-12 in.  

Corolla: violet-blue

Bloom season: year round (if protected from frost)

Best Uses: containers, as an annual

Position: full sun and well-draining soil

Winter Hardiness: to 30 F and below

Drought: adapted to 5 months of summer drought 

Lavandula dentata var. dentata

Description: evergreen shrub; a widespread species with two disjunct populations found in the Southwest Mediterranean and in Eastern Africa and the Arabian Peninsula. Aromatic, toothed (from which it derives the species name "dentata") green foliage and long-blooming pale violet blue flowers. Considered half-hardy in our climate but will be considerably longer-lived grown in very lean, gritty soils with little to no supplemental water. 

Height: to 3 ft. Spread: to 3 ft.

Stem length: 8-10 in.  

Corolla: pale violet-blue

Bloom season: spring to autumn

Best Uses: containers, rock gardens

Position: full sun and lean, well-draining soil (ideally under an awning or tree canopy that will deflect rainfall)

Winter Hardiness: to 10 F and below

Drought: adapted to 5 months of summer drought

Lavandula dentata var. candicans

Description: evergreen shrub; a variation of L. dentata with silver-gray foliage found only in Africa and the Arabian Peninsula. Aromatic, toothed (from which it derives the species name "dentata") foliage and long-blooming pale violet blue flowers. Considered half-hardy in our climate but will be considerably longer-lived grown in very lean, gritty soils with little to no supplemental water. 

Height: to 3 ft. Spread: to 3 ft.

Stem length: 8-10 in.  

Corolla: pale violet-blue

Bloom season: spring to autumn

Best Uses: containers, rock gardens

Position: full sun and lean, well-draining soil (ideally under an awning or tree canopy that will deflect rainfall)

Winter Hardiness: to 10 F and below

Drought: adapted to 5 months of summer drought