Planting DesignDiscover the right plants for your garden.
French lavender . Photo by : Deni Williams / Shutterstock
enthusiast of French lavender love it for a passel more than its pleasant smell and mincing purple blossoms . Many are captivated by the distinctive serrated leaf that attend like it has been cut back with tiny pinking shears . Others appreciate its exceptionally long flower time , with the flowers continuing for month on end , from former summertime all the mode until fall . And some value French lavender ’s mounded shrub - like wont , which makes the plant various enough to be used as a fragrant , low - grow hedgerow .
Despite its many attributes , French lavender is very specific about its growing conditions and is n’t well - suited for some climate , particularly area with cold-blooded winters . Here ’s advice on what it takes to keep your Gallic lavender sizable and brim with blooms .
On this Thomas Nelson Page : Basics|Planting|Care|Frequently Asked Questions
BASICS
Botanical name:
Lavandula dentataand hybrids
Note : Gallic lavender was once class as a sub - type of Spanish lavender ( Lavandula stoechas ) , but is now considered to be a trenchant mintage . However , Spanish lavender is still sometimes mislabeled as Gallic lavender , so be sure to chink the plant tag to make certain you ’re buyingL. dentata . Most usually grown is gray French lavender ( Lavandula dentatavar.candicans ) which is also a little tougher than the full-strength species .
Other common names:
serrated lavender , fringe lavender
Plant type:
Woody repeated / submarine sandwich - shrub
Zones:
Typically 8 - 11 , although some motley are intrepid down to zone 7 .
Native range:
Mediterranean neighborhood and the Arabian peninsula
Exposure:
Full sun
Size:
1 to 3 feet tall and up to 5 foot across-the-board
Bloom time:
other summertime to fall . May bloom year - round in climate where frost does n’t go on .
Foliage:
Most Gallic lavenders have narrow , grey unripe , finely - toothed leaves , but there ’s also a variety with white-hot variegation . leafage remains evergreen in warm mood .
Flowers:
Lavender to deep down in the mouth - reddish blue , tipped with pallid violet bract .
Special attributes:
Toxicity:
All type of lavender contains a small amount of linalool , a chemical compound that may be toxic to frump and cats , grant to theASPCA , especially if ingested in bombastic amount .
PLANTING FRENCH LAVENDER
photograph by : Ro . Panaitescu / Shutterstock
When to plant:
In the spring after the soil has warmed up and the threat of frost has spend . May also be constitute in the fall in area with mild winters .
Where to plant:
This Mediterranean aborigine requires sunny , hot , ironic weather to brandish . A climate with high temperature , infrequent rainfall during the farm season , and lowly humidity is ideal . As with all lilac-colored species , flora in a internet site that receives full sun ( at least 6 hours daily ) . If not given ample sun , plants will bloom badly , deficiency vigor , and be less fragrant .
Soil requirements:
Grows adept in sandy , nutritive - poor , alkaline dirt that cater excellent drain . head off planting in heavy clay or in low spots prone to standing body of water .
How to plant:
It is generally easier to grow Gallic lavender from glasshouse starts , since the seeds are small and run to have a slow and erratic germination rate . To insure good air circulation , space plants 2 to 3 feet asunder , depending on their breadth at maturity . Water right after planting and continue to water every few days until plants become ground . Because honest drainage is essential , consider turn your plants in mounds , upgrade bed , or on side .
Growing in containers:
thick varieties of French lavender ( such as ‘ Linda Ligon ’ ) are perfect for growing in containers , which is a good option in sphere where the plant is n’t unfearing because you could move the pots indoors over wintertime . Be sure to implant in a high-pitched - caliber , fast - debilitate potting premix in a container with multiple drainage hole , so your lavender wo n’t be sitting in standing body of water . Learn to get lavender in pots .
FRENCH LAVENDER CARE
French lavender foliage . pic by : Edita Medeina / Shutterstock
Watering:
set up French lavender plants are extremely drought kind and only need to be water during prolonged dry tour . To preclude root rot and fungous disease , avoid overwatering and keep the leaves dry by water at flat coat level or using drip mold irrigation . During the winter , when plant are dormant , no supplemental lachrymation is require .
Amendments and fertilizer:
Because French lavender is aboriginal to regions having flaxen or rocky soils with low prolificacy , obviate using amendment that enrich the soil , such as compost or other organic matter . If you have dense clay soil , amend it with red lava sway or Timothy Miles Bindon Rice hulls to amend drainage . Also work some lime into the filth if it ’s highly acidic ( with a pH below 5.5 ) . French lavender grow best in alkaline grease and wo n’t come through in dirt that is too acidic . ( instruct how totest the pH of your soil . )
Fertilizing French lavender is rarely necessary and may cause a surge in foliage growth at the disbursement of heyday product . works will broadly be more robust when grown in misfortunate soil that is low in nutrients .
Pruning and deadheading:
The best time to prune French lavender is in other outpouring , which will get new growing and increase flower output . you could also lop again in the drop , after the flowers have pass off , to reshape the plant and promote denser , thicker increase . Because French lavender will not rise back from sure-enough Natalie Wood , drastically cutting it down to its woody base can down it , so be sure to make your pruning cuts just above Modern leaf growth . Throughout the flowering time of year , deadhead your plants regularly to further the ontogenesis of unexampled blooms . See more onpruning lavender .
Overwintering:
In clime where temperatures dip below zero degree Fahrenheit , isolate your plants with a winter mulch of evergreen bough , shredded leaves , or straw , specially if there ’s a want of snow cover . Proper dirt drainage is also all important to set endurance in areas with cold , dampen wintertime .
Propagation:
From seed or by fore cuttings taken from fresh ontogenesis in spring , before blossom bud shape .
Pests and diseases:
Few pest or disease problems , but is susceptible to tooth root rot andpowdery mould , especially in dampish , humid climates . Poor air circulation between plants and a want of pruning can exacerbate the problem .
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Is French lavender a perennial?
French lavender is a perennial that will live for several years when grown under optimal conditions . However , it is not as long - lived as English lavender and typically has a lifespan of 4 to 5 year .
Is French lavender edible?
Gallic lavender efflorescence are not suitable for human consumption . However , you’re able to harvest the blooms for use as cut flower or to add to potpourris and dried flowered bouquets .
Will French lavender survive winter?
If the temperatures in your rise zone never degenerate below freezing , then you wo n’t need to take particular measures to keep your French lavender animated during the winter months , as long as it is planted in well - draining soil . In areas of the country where Gallic lavender is n’t fearless ( Zone 7 and below ) , develop it as an annual or in a container that you may overwinter indoors .
How do French, Spanish, and English lavender differ?
Of thethree common lavender , the Gallic variety is the only one with serrate leaves . It also is bigger and longer blooming than its English and Spanish counterparts . Although French lavender fares well in raging climates , English lavender is the only species that will make it harsh freezing temperature . Do n’t obnubilate French lavender with fernleaf lavender ( L. mutlifida ) , a similar metal money with more deep lobate , fern - alike foliation .
How do I grow French lavender indoors?
French lavender will do quite well grow in a container indoors if given at least four time of day of direct sunlight daily , ideally from a south - facing window . Be certain to irrigate sparingly throughout the wintertime calendar month , while the plant life is dormant , waiting until the top in of filth feels dry to the touch . Never provide the roots to sit in standing water .
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