Students for Stewardship The Cork Board
← Back to the library

Lavandin

Lavandula (lav-AN-duh-lah in-ter-MEE-dee-uh)

Family: Lamiaceae Unknown Shrub (3-15 ft)

‘Provence’ is a cultivar of Lavandula x intermedia and is a rounded, mounding evergreen shrub that grows to 3 feet or more high and wide and is one of the tallest of that family. The cultivar name, 'Provence', is derived from the area in southeastern France where it is grown in large plantings for the perfume industry. The light lavender flowers appear on upright stems in summer. Both the flowers and the silver-gray leaves are heavily scented. 'Provence' does best in well-drained, neutral to alkaline soil. Good drainage is important as the plant does not tolerate wet roots. You can use potash to encourage flowering, but avoid nitrogen and manure as they can produce floppy plants. This sub-shrub in the mint family is well suited to hot, humid southern summers. It is tolerant of deer and rabbit browsing, dry soils, and drought. Mass plant it in an herb or rock garden, along a border or as a hedge. Prune after flowering to encourage more blooms or in spring after new leaves appear to improve the shape. The flowers and leaves often dried and and used in scented sachets. More information on Lavandula x intermedia .

Source: NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox ↗ NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox, 43 attributes.

How it fits the guild

Guild layer 3 - Shrub (3-15 ft) Optimal soil pH Alkaline (>8.0); Neutral (6.0-8.0)
See companions & conflicts ↓

Companions & Conflicts

Curated pairwise relationships between this plant and others in the library — who feeds whom, who competes, who confuses the pests. Green reads as a good pairing, red as one to avoid.

No curated interactions recorded for this species yet.

Also noted by NC State

Related species the NC State Plant Toolbox flags for this plant — look-alikes to tell apart, and plants that play a similar role in a planting. Ones we carry in the library are linked.

Fills a similar niche Buddleja 'Miss Violet' Salvia rosmarinus Thymus vulgaris

Full plant profile

Growing Conditions
Plant type
Herb; Perennial; Shrub
Life cycle
Woody
Light
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
Soil texture
Loam (Silt); Sand
Soil pH
Alkaline (>8.0); Neutral (6.0-8.0)
Soil drainage
Good Drainage | Occasionally Dry
Available space
12 inches-3 feet
NC region
Coastal; Mountains; Piedmont
Mature size
Height: 1 ft. 0 in. - 3 ft. 0 in. | Width: 1 ft. 0 in. - 3 ft. 0 in.
Growth rate
Slow
Canopy layer
3 - Shrub (3-15 ft)
Form & Appearance
Habit / form
Mounding; Rounded
Leaf color
Gray/Silver; Green
Leaf type
Simple
Leaf margin
Entire; Lobed
Leaf value
Fragrant
Hairs present
No
Leaf detail
Silver green, narrow, simple, entire, toothed or lobed leaves.
Flower color
Purple/Lavender
Flower value
Fragrant
Flower form
Spike
Flower shape
Tubular
Flower detail
Mid to late summer dense, large, terminal spikes of showy fragrant light lavender flowers appear.
Bloom time
Summer
Wildlife & Ecology
Native status
Unknown
Wildlife value
Bees and butterflies nectar at the flowers.
Attracts
Bees; Butterflies
Landscape Use
Landscape theme
Butterfly Garden; Edible Garden
Design feature
Hedge; Mass Planting
Garden tags
#rabbit resistant #mounding #border planting #nectar plant #rock garden #drought tolerant #fragrant leaves #purple flowers #fragrant flowers #mass planting #deer resistant #humidity tolerant #dry soils tolerant #butterfly friendly #bee friendly #hedge #wildlife friendly #herb garden
Problems & Resistance
Resistant to
Deer; Drought; Heat; Poor Soil; Rabbits
Poison severity
Low
Poison parts
Flowers; Leaves; Stems
Poison symptoms
mild nausea and vomiting when consumed in large quantities.
Toxic principle
Linalool, linalyl acetate
Contact dermatitis
No
Toxicity summary
Low severity poison; parts: Flowers; Leaves; Stems

Planted at Hunnicutt

Nobody’s planted this one yet.