Lavender, Lavandin
Lavandula x intermedia
Family: Lamiaceae or Labiatae
What it is like
Bloom Color: Purple. Main Bloom Time: Early fall, Late summer, Mid summer. Form: Rounded.
Lavandula x intermedia is an evergreen Shrub growing to 1.2 m (4ft) by 1 m (3ft 3in) at a slow rate. See above for USDA hardiness. It is hardy to UK zone 5. It is in leaf all year, in flower from July to September, and the seeds ripen from August to October. The species is hermaphrodite (has both male and female organs) and is pollinated by Bees, Lepidoptera (Moths & Butterflies). It is noted for attracting wildlife. Suitable for: light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils and prefers well-drained soil. Suitable pH: mildly acid, neutral and basic (mildly alkaline) soils and can grow in very alkaline and saline soils. It cannot grow in the shade. It prefers dry or moist soil and can tolerate drought. The plant can tolerate maritime exposure.
Height (m): 1.2
Where it is found
Not known in the wild,
A hybrid species of garden origin, L. angustifolia x L. latifolia.
Conservation Status:
Countries/locations it is found in
How it is used
Food
Rating: 2
The following uses are for L. angustifolia, they should also apply to this hybrid: Leaves, petals and flowering tips - raw. Used as a condiment in salads, soups, stews etc. They provide a very aromatic flavour and are too strong to be used in any quantity. The fresh or dried flowers are used as a tea. The fresh flowers are also crystallized or added to jams, ice-creams, vinegars etc as a flavouring. An essential oil from the flowers is used as a food flavouring.
Condiment: the various plants that are used as flavourings, either as herbs, spices or condiments.
Tea: the various herb teas that can be used in place of tea, plus the genuine article.
Medicine
Rating: 2
The following uses are for L. angustifolia, they should also apply to this hybrid: Lavender is a commonly used household herbal remedy. An essential oil obtained from the flowers is antihalitosis, antiseptic, antispasmodic, aromatic, carminative, cholagogue, diuretic, nervine, sedative, stimulant, stomachic and tonic. It is not often used internally, though it is a useful carminative and nervine. It is mainly used externally where it is an excellent restorative and tonic - when rubbed into the temples, for example, it can cure a nervous headache, and it is a delightful addition to the bath-water. Its antiseptic properties also make it useful in the treatment of burns, sunburn, scalds, bites, vaginal discharge, anal fissure etc, where it also soothes the affected part of the body and can prevent the formation of permanent scar tissue. The essential oil is used in aromatherapy. Its keyword is 'Immune system'.
Antihalitosis: Treats bad breath
Antiseptic: Preventing sepsis, decay or putrefaction, it destroys or arrests the growth of micro-organisms.
Antispasmodic: Relaxes muscular spasms and cramps, calming nervous irritation.
Aromatherapy: Plants whose essential oils are used in Aromatherapy.
Aromatic: Having an agreeable odour and stimulant qualities.
Carminative: Reduces flatulence and expels gas from the intestines.
Cholagogue: Increases the flow of bile and its discharge from the body.
Diuretic: Acts on the kidneys, promoting the flow of urine.
Nervine: Stimulates and calms the nerves.
Sedative: Gently calms, reducing nervousness, distress and irritation.
Stimulant: Excites or quickens activity of the physiological processes. Faster acting than a tonic but differing from a narcotic in that it does not give a false sense of well-being.
Stomachic: Aids and improves the action of the stomach.
Tonic: Improves general health. Slower acting than a stimulant, it brings steady improvement.
Other
Rating: 5
The following uses are for the closely related L. angustifolia, they should also apply to this hybrid: The essential oil that is obtained from the flowers is exquisitely scented and has a very wide range of applications, both in the home and commercially. It is commonly used in soap making, in making high quality perfumes (it is also used in 'Eau de Cologne'), it is also used as a detergent and cleaning agent, a food flavouring etc and as an insect repellent. Yields of 0.8 - 1% of the oil are obtained. When growing the plant for its essential oil content, it is best to harvest the flowering stems as soon as the flowers have faded. The aromatic leaves and flowers are used in pot-pourri and as an insect repellent in the linen cupboard etc. They are also said to repel mice. The flowering stems, once the flowers have been removed for use in pot-pourri etc, can be tied in small bundles and burnt as incense sticks. Can be grown as a low hedge, responding well to trimming.
Companion: Companion planting is the careful placement of plants (especially vegetables and herbs) which have been shown to have beneficial effects on one another.
Essential: Essential oils that are used in perfumery, medicines, paint solvents, insect repellents etc.
Hedge: Plants that can be grown as hedges.
Incense: Aromatic plants that can be burnt to impart a pleasant smell, repel insects and disinfect closed areas.
Pot-pourri: Aromatic plants used to impart a pleasant smell to an area. Can this be grouped with incense or essential oil?
Repellent: Plants that are said to deter but not necessarily kill various mammals, birds, insects etc.
Attracts Wildlife: Plants noted for attracting wildlife
Food Forest: Plants for Edible Forest Gardens and Food Forests.
Hedge: Hedge
Scented Plants: Plants noted for their scent
How it is grown
Landscape Uses:Alpine garden, Border, Container, Ground cover, Massing, Rock garden, Seashore, Specimen. Succeeds in almost any soil so long as it is well-drained and not too acid. Prefers a sunny position in a neutral to alkaline soil. Prefers a light warm dry soil. When grown in rich soils the plants tend to produce more leaves but less essential oils. Established plants are drought tolerant. Very tolerant of salt wind exposure. When growing for maximum essential oil content, the plant must be given a very warm sunny position and will do best in a light sandy soil, the fragrance being especially pronounced in a chalky soil. Plants are hardy to between -10 and -15°c. Lavender is a very ornamental plant that is often grown in the herb garden and is also grown commercially for its essential oil. This species is a very variable hybrid between the two main species of lavender, L. angustifolia and L. latifolia, There are several named varieties. Not a very long-lived plant, it can be trimmed to keep it tidy but is probably best replaced every 10 years. Any trimming is best done in spring and should not be done in the autumn since this can encourage new growth that will not be very cold-hardy. A good bee plant, also attracting butterflies and moths. Lavender makes a good companion for most plants, growing especially well with cabbages. Special Features: Attractive foliage, Fragrant foliage, Not North American native, Attracts butterflies, Suitable for cut flowers, Suitable for dried flowers, Extended bloom season in Zones 9A and above, Fragrant flowers, Attractive flowers or blooms.
Propagating it: Seed - sow spring in a greenhouse and only just cover the seed. It usually germinates in 1 - 3 months at 15°c. When large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and grow them on in the greenhouse or cold frame for their first winter, planting them out in late spring after the last expected frosts. This species is a hybrid and will not come true from seed. Cuttings of half-ripe wood 7 - 10cm with a heel, July/August in a frame. Usually very east, a high percentage will root within a few weeks. Grow them on in the greenhouse for their first winter and plant them out in late spring after the last expected frosts. Cuttings 7cm with a heel succeed at almost any time of the year. Layering.
Best place to grow: Hedge; Cultivated Beds; East Wall. In. South Wall. In. West Wall. In.
Habit: Shrub
Hardiness: 5-9
Growth: Slow
Soil: Light (sandy), medium, heavy (clay)
Shade: No shade
Moisture: Dry, moist