Lavandula Species, Butterfly Lavender, French Lavender, Spanish Lavender
Lavandula stoechas
| Family: | Lamiaceae (lay-mee-AY-see-ee) (Info) |
| Genus: | Lavandula (lav-AN-dew-lah) (Info) |
| Species: | stoechas (STOW-kass) (Info) |
| Synonym: | Stoechas officinarum |
View this plant in a gardenCategory:
Herbs
Water Requirements:
Drought-tolerant; suitable for xeriscaping
Average Water Needs; Water regularly; do not overwater
Sun Exposure:
Full Sun
Foliage:
Grown for foliage
Herbaceous
Shiny/Glossy
Smooth
Foliage Color:
Bronze
Height:
18-24 in. (45-60 cm)
Spacing:
15-18 in. (38-45 cm)
Hardiness:
USDA Zone 8a: to -12.2 °C (10 °F)
USDA Zone 8b: to -9.4 °C (15 °F)
USDA Zone 9a: to -6.6 °C (20 °F)
USDA Zone 9b: to -3.8 °C (25 °F)
Where to Grow:
Danger:
N/A
Bloom Color:
Lavender
Dark Purple/Black
Bloom Characteristics:
This plant is attractive to bees, butterflies and/or birds
Flowers are fragrant
Bloom Size:
Bloom Time:
Late Spring/Early Summer
Mid Summer
Other details:
Soil pH requirements:
6.6 to 7.5 (neutral)
7.6 to 7.8 (mildly alkaline)
7.9 to 8.5 (alkaline)
Patent Information:
Non-patented
Propagation Methods:
From hardwood heel cuttings
From seed; stratify if sowing indoors
From seed; sow indoors before last frost
By simple layering
Seed Collecting:
Allow seedheads to dry on plants; remove and collect seeds
Regional
This plant is said to grow outdoors in the following regions:
Anniston, Alabama
New Market, Alabama
Phoenix, Arizona
Amesti, California
Berkeley, California
Citrus Heights, California
Clayton, California
Cool, California
Corralitos, California
Elkhorn, California
Encinitas, California
Interlaken, California
Lemoore, California
Lemoore Station, California
Merced, California
NORTH FORK, California
Oak View, California
Pajaro, California
Palos Verdes Peninsula, California
Perris, California
Sacramento, California
San Dimas, California
San Leandro, California
Santa Ana, California
Santa Barbara, California
Tracy, California
Vista, California(18 reports)
Watsonville, California
Wildomar, California
Jacksonville, Florida
Keystone Heights, Florida
Fayetteville, Georgia
Stone Mountain, Georgia
Lewiston, Idaho
Las Vegas, Nevada
Bridgewater, New Jersey
Roswell, New Mexico
Burlington, North Carolina
Charlotte, North Carolina
Southport, North Carolina
Harrah, Oklahoma
Ashland, Oregon
Gold Hill, Oregon
Hillsboro, Oregon
Portland, Oregon
Knoxville, Tennessee
Alice, Texas
Allen, Texas
Atlanta, Texas
Austin, Texas(2 reports)
Boerne, Texas
Bryan, Texas(2 reports)
Dallas, Texas
Deer Park, Texas
Nacogdoches, Texas
Gloucester, Virginia
Bremerton, Washington
Freeland, Washington
Kalama, Washington
Seattle, Washington
Tacoma, Washington
Vancouver, Washington
White Center, Washington
show allGardeners' Notes:
| Rating | Content |
|---|---|
| Negative | On Dec 15, 2019, Rests from Bryan, TX wrote: A beautiful plant that can be very showy in landscapes. However, here in south Central Texas, it doesn't survive well at all. Tried 3 times to grow it. All of them died in less than 10 days. Throw in our salty water along with all the humidity, and you have a death sentence for the plant. Too bad. A great looking plant for the yard. |
| Positive | On Aug 25, 2013, mehitabel45 from Whidbey Island, WA (Zone 8b) wrote: A very vigorous grower for me: from a cutting to a 3'x3' bush in 2.5 years. Flowers for months, starting later than the English and French varieties. Heads are not great for saving. Stunning foliage, so silvery in color. |
| Positive | On Nov 11, 2008, pl4321 from Southport, NC wrote: I want to know if this plant can be transplanted easily or if it does not like to be moved once it is established. |
| Negative | On Jun 15, 2008, goofybulb from Richland, MI (Zone 5b) wrote: I've had two attempts in growing the French/Spanish lavender (L. stoechas), once with a fully-grown plant, and once from seed. In my experience, It does not survive the humidity here in Miami. It is really sad to just watch a perfectly healthy bush die in less than two weeks. Its leaves browned suddenly, and it never recovered. The seedlings did a better job (maybe I have to include the "winter" factor, since the months of November through February are less humid) in surviving, however as soon as the humid months started (May) in their full force, same thing happened to the seedlings as well. |
| Positive | On Aug 10, 2007, Opoetree from Oak View, CA wrote: We have had lavender growing in our yard for at least fifteen years now. These plants are very tolerant of frost and drought. The blossoms have a wondrous architectural style and the bees love them. Superb plant! |
| Negative | On May 31, 2006, ronaldg from Buckeye, AZ wrote: I had planted spanish lavender back in February 2006 and it was doing very well and then all of a sudden it died, I don't know if I overwatered it we have our irrigation system running 3 times a day for about 15 minutes at a time since its very hot here in Arizona. |
| Neutral | On Mar 21, 2005, saya from Heerlen, According to my nursery-lady, Linda Bastin, who grows an important collection of 125 different Lavendula, L. stoechas prefers acid soil. This in contrary to other Lavandula. Similar to all Lavandula they love a well drained sunny spot and are grown best in stony poor soil..their natural environment. In those poor conditions L. stoechas has a better chance to survive our winters (zone 8) where it is doubtfull hardy. Joan Head, who keeps an important Lavandula collection in England, has planted her most rare and most tender Lavandula on the ruins of old sheds and barns around her house for that reason. Linda told me that Lavandula stoechas 'Helmsdale', L. s. 'Marshwood', L. s. 'Willow Vale' en L. s. 'Avenue Bellevue' have shown more hardy to her and can withstand frosts and rain better. <... read more |
| Positive | On Oct 16, 2004, philomel from Castelnau RB Pyrenées, Although generally known as French lavender, this plant is really native to Madeira, the Middle East, North Africa, from north-east Spain right along the Mediterranean to Turkey (this includes S France), Tenerife. |
| Positive | On May 1, 2004, crazyplantman42 from Fayetteville, GA wrote: After trying three different lavenders in my zone 7 garden this one has fared the best. It puts out a huge display of charming purple flowers in late March through May that bees absolutely love. It was my initial understanding that lavenders would not hold up to the intense humindity my climate offers but the mediterranean lavenders seem to thrive in it. |
| Positive | On Jun 1, 2003, lauburt from Vancouver, WA wrote: Blooms remind me of little butterflies. Very drought tolerant. Not as strongly scented as most lavenders. |
| Positive | On Jan 21, 2003, lupinelover from Grove City, OH (Zone 6a) wrote: Also called 'Mickey Mouse Lavender' because of the large pink flowers atop the flower heads. |
