Lavender bush

Credit: Heribert Bechen

Lavender blue violet ear

Credit: Julien Four

Lavender leaves

Credit: Forest et Kim Starr

Lavandi bush not in bloom

Credit: Couleur Lavande

Lavandin, lavender from the fields of Provence

Would you like to recreate the mauve wave and heady scent of Valensole's lavender fields at home? Plant lavandin! This natural hybrid of true Lavender and spike Lavender is no longer reserved for professionals. Rustic and fragrant, it's now making its way into gardens.

How to recognize lavandin?

Like other lavenders, lavandin is a sub-shrub. With its branched stems and low height, no more than 80 cm, the plant has a bushy, rounded habit.

The evergreen foliage has inherited the gray-green color of its ancestors. The narrow, opposite leaves are reminiscent of true lavender. On closer inspection, they are a few millimeters wider.

The purple, bilabiate flowers grow on branched, pointed spikes. Their fragrance is stronger than that of true lavender and slightly camphorated, like that of Spike lavender and butterfly Lavender.

The plant reproduces only by cuttings. This is why, in a lavandin field, all or almost all the plants are identical. There are, however, several varieties, such as lavandin grosso, which is highly fragrant, lavandin super, with its spicy scent, and lavandin abrial.

Lavandin is non-toxic. The plant is reputed to be analgesic, anti-inflammatory, soothing and antiseptic. It even repels mosquitoes and lice! More prolific than other species, Lavandula hybrida is a favorite with farmers. One hectare of hybrid lavender produces up to 40 kilos of essential oil, compared with 15 kilos for true lavender.

Our maintenance tips

Lavandins require little maintenance. These plants thrive in periods of drought and adapt to all types of soil. Their only enemy? Too much water. To keep your Lavandin alive, take care not to drown its roots.

Watering

Water your Lavandin when the soil has dried deeply. Use water at room temperature to avoid damaging the roots. If you can, use rainwater or non-calcareous water.

Never leave water standing in the saucer or planter, as this will rot the roots.

Spray

Your lavandin hates wet foliage. You must not mist the plant.

Repotting

Every spring, repot your Lavandula angustifolia x latifolia to give it more space.

Get a pot with holes at least 30 centimetres in diameter. This will give your plant room to grow. Choose a ceramic or terracotta model. These materials help evaporate excess water and prevent root rot.

Pour a layer of clay pebbles or gravel into the bottom for drainage. Then add draining soil, such as potting soil for Mediterranean plants. Place your plant in the center and top with substrate.

Tamp and water for the first time.

Fertilization

To promote the growth of your Lavandula angustifolia x latifolia, apply fertilizer in spring and summer.

Lavandins are not very greedy plants. If you want to stimulate their development, apply a fertilizer for Mediterranean plants in early spring.

Prune

Prune faded flower spikes flush with the foliage. This way, the plant doesn't spend energy on producing seeds.

If you have a single plant, use sharp, clean pruning shears. If you have beds or hedges, use shears with clean blades.

Never cut dry wood. The plant will not grow back on old wood.

Carry out maintenance pruning to maintain the shape of your Lavandin and help it become denser.

Using shears or pruning shears, cut back the stems by about two-thirds.

Thinning out

When the first shoots appear, keep only the most vigorous from each bucket. Remove the others.

The following spring, you can plant your Lavandin in a pot or in the ground.

Plantation

When the risk of frost has passed, it's time to plant.

Soak your Lavandin while digging a hole twice the size of the root ball. Place a handful of organic fertilizer at the bottom.

Then install your Lavandin. Make sure that the top of the rootball is two to three centimetres below the surface of the soil. Fill the hole with garden soil and tamp to remove air bubbles.

Water for the first time to help the plant take root.

Seedling

Fill cups with potting soil for seedlings. Plant a seed every two centimeters and cover with a thin layer of substrate.

Water for the first time. Water by capillary action, by placing your pots in a larger container filled with water. This way, you're sure to moisten all the soil without the risk of displacing or burying the seeds.

Place your seedlings in a bright spot with a temperature of 20°. You can place them in a mini greenhouse or on a heat mat. Spray the substrate regularly to keep it cool.

Cutting

Cutting is carried out during the strong growth phase, generally in spring and early summer.

For annual pruning, select a terminal shoot about fifteen centimetres long. The stem should still be supple. Remove the leaves from the lower half of the cutting.

In a pierced pot, pour a layer of clay balls for drainage. Add potting soil for seedlings and planting.

Using a pencil, make a pilot hole and plant your cutting.

Water at room temperature to help the plant take root.

Diseases / Threats

Rust

Leafhopper

Information

Family	Lamiaceae - Lamiaceae
Type	Lavender - Lavandula
Species	Lavandin - Lavandula angustifolia x latifolia
Lifecycle	Perennial
Foliage	Evergreen
Exposure	Sun
Substrats	Calcareous earth Humus soil Sandy soil
Planting methods	Open ground In pots In tubs
Category	Flowery
Origin	Southern Europe
Hardiness (USDA)	9a
Leaf color
Flower color