All About Lavender

Lavenders are all members of the same botanical genus: Lavandula. There are about 28 species of lavender, and each one is distinguished from one another by a different species name. For instance, Lavandula viridis, Lavandula lanata, Lavandula dentata.

The most popular lavenders fall into two basic groups. The first are all cultivars of the species Lavandula angustifolia and are often called English lavenders. Some books use the names L. vera or L. officinalis for English lavender, but both names are incorrect. The second group is made up of hybrids between the English lavenders and another species, Lavandula latifolia, and is called the lavandins (L. x intermedia).

Both of these groups have gray/green foliage, make nice low shrubs, and are hardy down to about USDA Zone 5. They prefer full sun and a well-drained soil. All are fragrant, and though the compositions of their essential oils do differ, it is difficult for most people to tell them apart by their scents.

The biggest differences between them are in their heights, flower colors, the size of the flower heads, and the time of blooms. The English lavenders tend to bloom in early summer, the lavandins in midsummer. The darkest flower colors are among the English lavenders, while the tallest plants, the longest flower stems, and the largest flower heads are among the lavandins.

Many people prefer the darker English cultivars and the lavandins ‘Grosso’ and ‘Abrialii’ for dried flowers and the lavandins for the making of lavender wands (dollies).

It’s important to note that the lavender flower is made up of two parts, the corolla and the calyx, each with a different color. The tubular corollas, what we usually think of as the petals, are most often violet colored, though some are white or light pink. The calyx colors range from a very deep purple to a light violet/green. When lavender flowers dry, the corollas fall out or shrivel up and only the calyx color remains. So when you choose a cultivar for dried flowers it is only the calyx color that matters.

The biggest killers of lavenders are root-rotting diseases, which proliferate in high humidity and wet soils. These are especially a problem for the English and lavandins. If you live in a humid area, like the Southeast, give your plants as much air circulation as possible. Don’t crowd them in and don’t try growing a lavender hedge. If one plant catches a disease, it’s likely to skip right down the row. Don’t use organic mulches, but instead try pea gravel or white sand. Increase your drainage by planting in mounds or raised beds, and incorporate crushed granite, like chicken grit, into the top 12" of the soil.

The soil should be slightly acidic. Though lavenders don’t require a lot of fertilizer, some should be added each spring. Chicken manure actually has a fungal deterring component and is especially safe to use.

The easiest lavenders to grow in hot, problem areas are the French (L. dentata), Spanish (L. stoechas), and the hybrids ‘Goodwin Creek Grey’, L. x heterophylla and L. x allardii. None have the traditional look of the lavandins or English, but all have their own charm and usefulness in the landscape. These are also some of the best lavenders for containers, and all but the Spanish will bloom nearly year-round if given enough warmth and sunlight.

We hope the following charts and descriptions will help you to sort out the many types of lavender which we grow.

Here is a recipe for lavender ice cream, created by master chef Christina Orchid. We first sampled it at her Eastsound, Washington (Orcas Island) restaurant, Christina’s. The dinner was fantastic, and we are very pleased that she could share this recipe with us.

Christina's lavender ice cream
2 cups heavy cream
5 cups half and half
6 whole eggs
1 cup sugar
1 cup honey
½ to 1 cup dried lavender (english is best)
drop of real vanilla

Begin by heating a cup of the cream with the dried lavender and the sugar until it just begins to scald. Let the hot cream and lavender infuse over low heat for at least 20 minutes. Do not boil.

Meanwhile in a large bowl, combine the eggs and the honey. Whisk together until well blended.

Strain the hot lavender infused cream into the egg mixture, whisking well. Press the lavender in the strainer to get all the cream and to help release even more of the lavender flavor into the bowl.

Whisk well, return to a saucepan, place over medium heat and then cook for 5 minutes, or until the eggs begin to thicken (160° F). Set the custard mixture aside to cool and assemble all the remaining ingredients together in the bowl. Add the cool mixture, chill, and then freeze in your ice cream maker according to manufacturer's directions.

This recipe makes about 3 quarts.