Lavender Simplified

I always wonder why no matter how many beautiful lavender varieties we grow, most customers choose Grosso, Provence, or Hidcote Blue. Yesterday, I wandered through our lavender section, and I found myself completely confused as far as which variety had what color flower and what was the height and when did it bloom, and why did I have so many??  Well, no wonder everyone looks so lost in that part of the nursery!  That is when I thought ‘I need a table!’

Currently, there are 38 different lavenders that we carry at Morningsun. It is one of those plants that everyone should have in their gardens, there are so many choices! I hope this table helps you add some beautiful new additions to your fall garden. For lavenders especially, September and October are the best time to plant, with plenty of time for root systems to be established so the plants are ready to put on a flush of growth as soon as the longer days of spring approach.

The lavender table includes the name of the lavender, flower color, calyx color, height, foliage color, flowering time and a few notes. Name is given by botanical name, since just calling something lavender will not get you very far at Morningsun. All lavenders that are Lavandula angustifolia are true English lavenders. Note that these tend to bloom earlier, be shorter, and have darker flowers. The flowers remain on the stem so they are better choices for crafting. And the flavor and fragrance is sweet, best for desserts and sweets like ice cream, jelly, cookies, tea, scones and other sweets. Lavandula x intermedia are hybrids, or lavandins, that tend to be larger and bloom later. Some are good for crafting, but some ‘shatter’, where the flowers easily come off the stem, making them better for potpourri. They aren’t as deeply colored as the English lavenders, and their flavor and fragrance are stronger and can be a little ‘soapy’. The lavandins are used in ‘Herbes de Provence’ blends, useful for savory foods. Lavandula stoechas is commonly called Spanish lavender, not used for culinary purposes, but great for early bloom. And Lavandula dentata is French lavender, also used for landscaping.

For anyone interested in crafting with lavender, one of the most important attributes of the flower is the calyx color. While the corolla, or flower petals, are noticed first, the important part is the color of the calyx, which is the small, ‘nubby’ end of the flower that is attached onto the stem, and hold the flower petals. This is the most fragrant part of the flower, and the very dark violet and purple calyces are very desirable for crafting. A few of the lavender varieties, such as ‘Silver Frost’ and ‘Ana Luisa’ have silvery white calyces, which can be great fun to craft with.

We will add to this table as more lavenders are available at the nursery. We hope this helps your shopping experience!

SHOP NOW FOR LAVENDER