Carefully care for and cut the lavender lavender, lavandula stoechas

The topped lavender, botanically called Lavandula stoechas, is one of the popular lavender varieties strong aroma and beautiful flowers that grow on the shrubby plant from May to September appear. At the tip of the elongated flower panicle, purple, sometimes pink or white bracts form, somewhat reminiscent of a moth or butterfly. Unfortunately this one is lavender not sufficiently hardy and therefore not suitable for year-round outdoor cultivation.

Location

The location should always be based on the needs of the plant and not on a specific planting plan of the gardener. In contrast to real lavender (Lavandula angustifolia), commonly found at high altitude, a type of lavender that has spread at the foot of mountains and near the sea.

This is where the French name of the plant comes from: Lavende maritime. Lavandula stoechas loves the sun and the warmth and should therefore also have a sunny and warm location in the garden or on the balcony that is a little sheltered from the wind.

• Light requirement: full sun
• at least 4-5 hours of sun a day
• also tolerates the blazing midday sun
• heat tolerant
• warm and protected (at least 3 degrees)
• airy
• not tolerated by frost
• near house walls on the south side of the house
• suitable for rock gardens and herb spirals

Lavandula stoechas tolerates extreme heat without any problems and the plant also tolerates occasional drought well. It is less able to cope with waterlogging and high humidity. In these cases the sun-loving plant becomes susceptible to fungal diseases.

floor

The Schopflavender prefers dry, well-drained soils, which must not be calcareous, i.e. alkaline, under any circumstances. This is where the perennial flowering plant differs from other types of lavender. It tolerates a neutral to slightly acidic soil better.

• sandy
• also stony
• well permeable to water
• rather dry
• moderate nutritional content
• pH 5.5 to 7
• not lime tolerant

Buy preferred potted plants

The poppy lavender also grows very slowly at a young age. Therefore, it is very time consuming to grow it from seeds yourself. If you buy a pre-grown Lavandula stoechas in stores, check carefully whether the plant has fresh, young leaves at the tips. That is already a good sign. A healthy plant has well-developed roots.

If the ball is already covered on the outside with a dense network of roots, it is better to choose a different one. Quality is particularly noticeable in the price. The older the plant, the more expensive it is. But investing in a healthy, strong plant is worthwhile.

plants

Since the year-round outdoor cultivation of the potted lavender is only possible in our wine-growing regions, it is usually cultivated as a container plant. The best time to plant is in spring. Make sure that no more night frosts occur at the time of planting. And make sure that the ground is well loosened in advance and by weed was released.

• Time: from mid-May
• also possible beforehand, but then bring it into the house when the temperature is cold
• Prepare the ground if necessary
• move heavy soils with a lot of sand or gravel
• Apply drainage
• Use only suitable substrate in the bucket
• Plant spacing: 30-45 cm

Bucket culture

We usually cultivate potted lavender in planters. Only use suitable substrates when planting. A very permeable, rather nutrient-poor substrate is ideal. Otherwise, the same maintenance conditions apply to the plants as to outdoor plants. Please note that the lavender has deep roots and therefore mature plants need a pot with a diameter of between 30 and 45 cm (depending on the height of the plant).

• Potting soil for Mediterranean plants
• Garden soil with sand and grit
• loamy-sandy soils
• Cactus soil or herbal soil
• only use buckets with drainage holes
• First fill in drainage (chippings, potsherds, expanded clay)
• Insert the plant and fill it up with substrate
• Press the earth lightly
• carefully pour on

care

Lavandula stoechas has no special requirements and is considered to be very easy to care for. With proper care, the plant can easily live to be 20 or 30 years old. Above all, the prerequisite for this is a suitable location and good soil conditions. Regular pruning also keeps the potted lavender healthy and vital.

to water

The butterfly lavender should only be watered sparingly, the main thing is to avoid waterlogging. Good drainage is therefore essential in both the garden bed and the plant trough. The plant only needs new water when the top layer of the earth has dried up. Preferably water in the early morning or evening hours so that the water droplets can dry well, otherwise there is a risk of burns in the blazing midday sun.

Fertilize

The same applies to fertilizing: Better less than too much. The poppy lavender needs only a few nutrients and occurs naturally on poor soils. If the substrate is enriched with high amounts of nutrients, the lavender becomes blooming. Above all, you should avoid nitrogenous fertilizers, because otherwise the plant mainly produces leaf mass instead of the pretty flowers.

• Outdoor plants: fertilize with little compost or horn shavings in spring
• Potted plants: monthly with liquid fertilizer (April to August) in half concentration

If the potted lavender is repotted annually in fresh soil, additional fertilization is superfluous. The substrate contains sufficient amounts of nutrients to bring the plant through the entire growing season.

Repot

The best time to repot potted plants is early spring before budding. In this way, the potted lavender finds optimal starting conditions for the growing season and can sprout vigorously. If the pot is too small at another point in the year, it can generally be repotted all year round.

• Carefully pull the lavender out of the old pot
• the new planter should be at least 10 cm larger
• Carefully loosen the root network
• cut the tips of the roots in older plants
• only plant in suitable substrate
• water well

Cut

As a shrubby plant, Lavandula stoechas tends to become heavily lignified in the lower area. Over time, this leads to the plants becoming bald from the inside. To counteract this, the coppice lavender must be cut back regularly.

The best time for such a rejuvenation cut is shortly before the new growth. A second pruning may then be carried out in summer. When the pretty butterfly flowers have faded, they can be cut out so that new flowers can form. But this is not absolutely necessary.

Spring cut

• Time: depending on the weather, usually between the end of March and the beginning of April
• use sharp, clean secateurs
• Cut younger, unwooded plants about half to two thirds
• Shorten older plants by about a third (usually classic hemispherical shape)
• do not cut too deep into lignified areas
• Carry out the cut evenly over the entire shrub
• prune old, bare-baked plants right down to the old wood
• cut above the lowest or second branch or one eye
• in the course of time, the shrub can build up again from below

In the case of very vigorously growing plants, pruning can also be done in autumn, when the clover lavender has withered.

Summer cut (optional in addition to the spring cut)

• Time: mid-July to the beginning of August at the latest
• use sharp, clean hedge trimmers
• Shorten by about a third
• Do not cut any more from mid-August

harvest

If the flowers of the crested lavender are to be harvested, a time is selected when the bottom flower is just beginning to open. The morning hours are the best time to keep as many essential oils as possible in bloom. But wait until the dew has dried before cutting.

The flowers are not only used as a supplier of fragrances, but are also edible. Tie small bundles to dry and hang them upside down in a warm, dark place. This will prevent the flowers from fading and the stems from bending. In this way, the aroma is also preserved in the best possible way.

Toxicity

Lavandula stoechas is not considered to be poisonous. The flowers are now increasingly being used again in the kitchen and are even edible. In contrast to the flower, the roots are rarely used. Butterfly lavender leaves are sometimes used to flavor dishes. These are also not poisonous, but rather safe to eat in small quantities.

Overwinter

Except in very mild locations, such as in wine-growing areas, Lavandula stoechas is not sufficiently hardy. Although short phases with temperatures just below zero do not affect the plant, the plant is not really hardy.

The poppy lavender comes from the Mediterranean area with moderate temperatures all year round. It is therefore safer to overwinter the plant in a cool but frost-free area. When the flowers have faded, they are cut so far down on the flower stalk that only a short piece remains.

• partially shaded
• Temperature: 5 to 10 degrees
• bright garage or cool cellar room, unheated winter garden
• Pour in sips
• just enough so that the earth doesn't dry out completely
• do not fertilize

If the temperatures rise again permanently above 5 degrees in spring, the Mediterranean plant can slowly get used to the outdoors again. First, place the pot in a partially shaded place on the balcony or terrace by the hour. Within two to three weeks, the butterfly lavender can slowly get a sunnier place.

Multiply

Basically, the potted lavender can be propagated from seeds as well as from cuttings. Propagation from cuttings is the more common method as it guarantees identical daughter plants.

Seeds

You can buy the seeds of this type of lavender from specialist shops anywhere, or you can harvest them from your own plants in autumn, when the butterfly lavender has faded and the seeds are ripe. However, the same plants cannot always be grown from the seeds. This is less of a problem with a single position of the bush, but with whole rows of Lavandula stoechas it can be a bit disturbing.

• Time: pre-breeding from February to April
• Do not sow outdoors until May
• Scatter seeds on moist substrate
• Substrate: cactus soil, potting soil
• Just press the seeds down and do not cover them with soil
• Place the seed tray in a transparent bag
• Temperature: 15-20 degrees
• partially shaded location
• occasionally airing
• keep evenly moist
• Germination time: 21-90 days

When the seedlings are large enough (about 3-5 cm), they can be separated into separate pots. The substrate should be sandy and well-drained for water. Before the Schopflavender moves into its summer quarters outdoors, you should slowly get it used to the outside conditions within two weeks. In terms of care, the young plant is now treated like a full-grown plant.

Cuttings

The easiest way to propagate Lavandula stoechas is to propagate cuttings. Even in the commercial sector, the Mediterranean flowering plant is only propagated in this way. Getting to suitable cuttings is very easy. Most of the waste is used when pruning in spring. Cuttings that are not cut but carefully broken out have the best chance of growing.

• Time: when pruning in early spring
• alternatively at the end of June
• in this case do not put them outdoors until next spring
• Break out healthy, strong shoot
• this should be slightly lignified in the lower area
• Length: 15 cm
• remove lower leaves (about 5 cm)
• put about 5 cm deep into the substrate (up to the first leaf base)
• Place in pots either individually or in groups of up to 5 cuttings
• make sure there is sufficient distance
• Substrate: cactus soil, potting soil, sandy-loamy garden soil
• Location: partially shaded
• just keep it slightly moist
• Avoid waterlogging

As a rule, the cuttings form their first roots within eight weeks. The fact that the cutting has already formed roots can be recognized by the fact that the shoot begins to sprout new leaves. Now the plants are separated into separate pots so that their roots do not interfere with each other. Cuttings that were cut in March can be planted outdoors (or in a tub) at their final location as early as mid-May.

Diseases

Diseases and Pests

The topped lavender is a very robust plant that rarely gets sick. The high concentration of essential oils offers good protection against various pests. Illnesses occur above all in the case of incorrect site conditions and mistakes in maintenance. Too much water can not only rot the roots, but also make the shrub susceptible to infections with fungi, bacteria and viruses.

If individual shoots die or a grayish coating can be seen on the leaves (gray mold), infected parts of the plant must therefore be cut out into the healthy tissue as soon as possible. In the event of root rot, it is also important to replace the substrate with fresh soil in order to save the plant.