Varieties of Lavender

There are several species of lavender, each with unique traits. Each type has different growing needs and uses, from ornamental gardens to culinary and aromatic applications.

English Lavender (Lavandula angustifolia) – Known for its sweet fragrance and cold hardiness, it's ideal for cooler climates. Varieties include 'Hidcote' and 'Munstead'.

French Lavender (Lavandula dentata) – Recognizable by its fringed leaves and mild scent, it prefers warmer climates and blooms longer, though it's less cold-tolerant.

Spanish Lavender (Lavandula stoechas) – Distinctive for its “rabbit ear” bracts on top of the flower heads, it’s very showy and thrives in hot, dry conditions, and is not well-suited to most of the continental United States.

Lavandin (Lavandula x intermedia) – A hybrid of English and Portuguese lavender, it is larger and more aromatic than its English counterparts. Lavandin varieties are known for their high essential oil yield, making these varieties ideal for producing essential oils. Conversely, their higher camphor content relative to the English cultivars translates to a less-sweet fragrance. Varieties include 'Grosso' and 'Provence'. Less tolerant of cold weather.

The most recognizable species, the one everyone thinks of when he hears the word "lavender," is English lavender. English lavender is better suited to the climate of most of the United States. French and Spanish lavenders simply cannot handle the winters that the majority of the U.S. experiences.

You can find a description of each of the varieties we grow at Chicory Hill Farms below.

Hidcote (L. angustifolia)

The ‘Hidcote’ lavender is one of the most popular and widely grown English lavender varieties. It is prized for its compact size, deep purple flower spikes, and strong, sweet fragrance. Growing up to about 12 to 18 inches tall, ‘Hidcote’ is perfect for borders, rock gardens, or containers, and is especially valued for its neat, tidy shape.

This variety blooms in mid to late summer and attracts bees, butterflies, and other pollinators. ‘Hidcote’ is also highly cold-hardy, making it suitable for temperate climates. Its rich color and scent make it an excellent choice for dried flower arrangements, sachets, and culinary use.

Munstead (L. angustifolia)

'Munstead’ is a classic English lavender variety known for its compact growth, early blooming, and pleasantly sweet fragrance. It typically grows to about 12 to 18 inches tall and wide, making it ideal for small gardens, borders, pathways, and containers. Its soft lavender-blue flowers bloom in late spring to early summer, slightly earlier than many other varieties.

‘Munstead’ is highly drought-tolerant and well-suited to cooler climates, with good cold hardiness. Its gray-green foliage provides year-round visual interest, and its aromatic flowers are popular for drying, crafts, and culinary use.

Twickle Purple (L. angustifolia)

'Twickel Purple' is a striking cultivar, prized for its deep violet-purple flower spikes and its strong, classic lavender fragrance. It typically grows in a compact, bushy form, reaching about 18 to 24 inches in both height and width. The evergreen foliage is narrow, gray-green, and aromatic. It flowers from mid to late summer, often beginning in June or July, with slender spikes of densely packed blooms.

'Twickel Purple' is well-suited for dried arrangements, sachets, and aromatic crafts, though it is not as commonly used in culinary applications as sweeter varieties like 'Munstead'. The cultivar is named after Twickel Castle in the Netherlands, where it was originally selected for its vivid color and robust form.

Buena Vista (L. angustifolia)

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'Buena Vista' is a distinctive and highly fragrant variety of Lavandula angustifolia, often noted for its repeat blooming and strong ornamental appeal. Unlike many traditional English lavenders, 'Buena Vista' is a remontant type, meaning it produces two flushes of blooms—typically first in late spring or early summer and again in late summer or early fall if deadheaded. 'Buena Vista' is particularly valued for its intense and sweet fragrance, making it a favorite for potpourri, sachets, essential oil distillation, and culinary use.

Its flowers are a rich violet-blue color, standing on tall, slender stems above dense mounds of gray-green foliage that remain evergreen in milder climates.

This variety grows to about 18 to 24 inches in height and width, maintaining a tidy, rounded shape that makes it ideal for borders, pathways, and cutting gardens.

Grosso (Lavandin x intermedia)

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'Grosso' is a popular hybrid variety (Lavandula × intermedia, known for its striking appearance and exceptional fragrance, produces long, slender flower spikes in a rich violet hue, blooming from mid to late summer. Its silvery-green foliage forms a dense, rounded shrub typically reaching 24 to 36 inches in height and spreading up to 36 to 48 inches wide

Known for its high essential oil yield and strong fragrance, 'Grosso' is a favorite for use in perfumes, dried bouquets, and lavender crafts.

Vera (L. angustifolia)

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'Vera' is a classic English lavender variety prized for its compact form, sweet fragrance, and exceptional quality of essential oil. It typically grows to about 18 to 24 inches in height and width, forming a neat, bushy mound of narrow, silvery-green foliage, making it Ideal for borders, rock gardens, and containers. In early to mid-summer, it produces slender spikes of soft purple-blue flowers that are highly attractive to bees and other pollinators.

'Vera' is often considered one of the truest forms of English lavender and is widely used in aromatherapy, herbal remedies, and culinary applications due to its mild, sweet scent and low camphor content.

Miss Katherine

'Miss Katherine' is a distinctive English lavender variety known for its rare and beautiful pink flowers—the palest pink among lavenders. This compact and bushy perennial typically grows to about 24 to 30 inches tall and wide, forming a rounded mound of aromatic, gray-green foliage. Blooming in mid to late summer, 'Miss Katherine' produces elegant flower spikes that add a soft, romantic touch to gardens, contrasting gracefully with more traditional purple lavenders. It is prized not only for its unique color but also for its sweet, floral fragrance, making it a favorite for cutting gardens, dried arrangements, and borders.

Royal Velvet

Renowned for its vibrant color, elegant form, and rich fragrance, 'Royal Velvet' is a striking variety which grows to about 24 to 30 inches in height and spreads 24 to 36 inches wide, forming a neat, compact mound of silvery-green foliage. In early to mid-summer, it produces tall, graceful flower spikes densely packed with deep purple, velvety blooms that hold their color exceptionally well when dried.

'Royal Velvet' is a favorite for fresh and dried bouquets, sachets, and culinary use due to its sweet, clean scent and eye-catching flowers.

Edelweiss

A unique and elegant variety, 'Edelweiss' is prized for its rare white blooms and soft, aromatic foliage. This compact perennial typically grows to about 18 to 24 inches in height and width. Blooming in mid to late summer, 'Edelweiss' produces slender flower spikes topped with pure white flowers, rising above silvery-gray leaves, offering a striking contrast to the more common purple lavenders.

Its subtle fragrance and refined appearance make it a popular choice for mixed borders, white-themed gardens, and dried floral arrangements.

Provence

'Provence' is a highly fragrant and visually striking lavandin variety, cherished for its long, slender flower spikes and exceptional oil quality. This robust plant typically grows 24 to 36 inches tall and its gray-green foliage can spread up to 36 inches wide. Blooming from mid to late summer, 'Provence' produces soft lavender-blue flowers on tall stems.

It is ideal for fresh or dried bouquets, wands, and sachets. Known for its sweeter scent and lower camphor content compared to other lavandins, it’s favored for culinary use and high-quality essential oils.

Lady

'Lady', known for its compact growth and soft, fragrant blooms, typically reaches about 18 to 24 inches in height and spreads similarly wide, forming a neat, rounded mound of fine, light green foliage. Blooming in mid to late summer, 'Lady' produces delicate spikes of pale lavender to soft purple flowers that emit a sweet, calming fragrance. This variety is appreciated for its hardiness, ease of care, and versatility, making it perfect for borders, rock gardens, containers, and herbal uses.

Varieties of Lavender

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