Types of lavender: This is how you can distinguish the varieties

The nature of lavender is more diverse than meets the eye and includes many varieties. We will help you to choose between Crested Lavender, Speik Lavender and Real Lavender.

The genus lavender (Lavandula) belongs to the mint family (Lamiaceae). It includes around 30 different species, most of which grow as subshrubs or shrubs. In addition to the classic purple flowers, some of the species also offer a little more color variety, such as the particularly pretty one White lavender (Lavandula angustifolia). Depending on the characteristics of the location, the different species can be more or less suitable for cultivation.

We compare the most important properties of the three major types of lavender for you. The right type of lavender will definitely find its way into your garden.

Varieties of Lavender: True Lavender (Lavandula angustifolia)

True lavender is probably the most popular type of lavender, which is also the most commonly cultivated worldwide. In some areas it is also known as "Little Speick" or "Stöchaskraut". It can be found at altitudes of up to 1600 meters. Originally native to warm, rocky slopes, the "Roman thyme", as it is also known, prefers calcareous, drier soil in the garden. It grows as a subshrub and is almost completely hardy. The leaf color varies from dark green to silvery white. The flowers in turn show different shades of blue and purple, but white and pink flowering varieties are also available within the species. The aroma of real lavender is rather mild and subtle. It is therefore used both as a culinary herb and as a fragrance and as a medicinal plant.

We can recommend the following varieties:

• 'Blue Cushion': Compact variety with large, long-lasting, light purple flowers; well suited for pot culture or the rock garden; dwarf form
• 'Hidcote Blue': Proven English variety with dark blue purple flowers; strongly fragrant; slow and compact growing; under ideal growing conditions, however, the plants can become relatively large
• 'Hidcote Pink': Vigorous growing variety with pale pink flowers; needs regular pruning
• 'Dwarf Blue': Medium-tall variety with grey-green foliage and violet flowers; is well suited as a bed border and scented hedge
• 'Melissa': The soft pink buds of this strain fade to a brilliant white after flowering

More beautiful Varieties of True Lavender can also be found in our special article.

Varieties of lavender: French lavender (Lavandula stoechas)

the French lavender stands out due to its large, ornamental bracts at the top of the inflorescence, which look like a mop of hair - hence the name. In some places, however, it is also referred to as "French lavender" or "Arabian lavender". In contrast to real lavender, it does not grow in its original homeland in mountain regions, but near the coast. The French lavender prefers lime-poor, sandy soils. In our regions it is usually not hardy and must therefore be overwintered frost-free. French lavender grows as a shrub and is slightly more woody than Lavendula angustifolia. It is characterized above all by its long flowering period up to August or even into September. The flower colors of this species range from pure white to rich pink and purple tones. The inflorescences and the bracts can also be colored very differently. The French lavender also produces essential oils with a strong aroma, but these are not used economically.

Some popular strains include the following:

• 'Marshwood': long flowering variety; lush flowers of pink and purple tones
• 'Kew Red': new breed with red and white feathered flower heads; compact growth; blooms from July to September
• 'anouk': A cultivar with dark purple flowers; long flowering period from May to August; bushy growth; intense, pleasant scent
• 'Otto Quast': Fragrant French lavender with pink-purple flowers; dense, broad growth; suitable for pot culture
• 'Merle': Compact shrub with red-purple flowers

Comprehensive information about Cultivation and care of French lavender you'll find here.

Varieties of Lavender: Spike Lavender (Lavandula latifolia)

The spike lavender can be found in the higher regions of the Mediterranean (up to 600 meters above sea level). Therefore, it prefers calcareous and rather dry soils. In our latitudes, the spike lavender survives low temperatures down to -5 °C unscathed. In ideal growing conditions, the shrub can grow up to one meter in height. However, it is characterized by a very strong aroma and can be used very well for scented potpourris, for example. In German-speaking countries, the Speilavendel is mainly known as "Großer Speik" or "Spanish lavender". Because of its strikingly large leaves, it is also sometimes referred to as "broad-leaved lavender". The flower and leaf color does not vary quite as much as in the other species, since hardly any breeding work has been carried out.

Hardy lavender species & varieties

If you want to cultivate lavender outdoors all year round in our latitudes, it is best to use hardy varieties when you buy them. In a sheltered location, these usually tolerate the sometimes very fluctuating weather in winter very well. Depending on the region, however, additional protective measures may also be necessary to ensure that the Mediterranean herb survives the winter well. Below we present some hardy varieties of the two most well-known types of lavender.

Hardy lavender varieties of real lavender

In its original home, real lavender can also be found at higher altitudes. That's why it tolerates temperatures down to -15 °C for a short time. The robust type of lavender is one of the classics and should not be missing in any garden bed. The mentioned varieties ˈHidcote Blueˈ, ˈDwarf Blueˈ and ˈBlue Cushionˈ are among the most robust varieties. They can usually be overwintered in the bed without any problems. We can also recommend the following varieties for outdoor cultivation:

• 'Jamlitz': Extremely robust, hardy variety; also suitable for rough situations; blue-violet flowers from June to July; becomes relatively high
• 'Blue Scent': Hardy variety; purple-blue flowers from early June; good growth; rather undemanding in terms of care
• 'Ellagance Purple': Hardy variety for bedding cultivation; purple flowers from July to August; bushy growth

A comprehensive collection of hardy lavender varieties can also be found in our special article.

Hardy spike lavender

In its original habitat, spike lavender grows on dry, sunny slopes and is somewhat more sensitive to cold than true lavender. Although it is partially frost hardy, it does not tolerate fluctuating weather well. Above all, high temperature differences and rapidly changing conditions due to rain, snow, frost and thaw cause problems for the Mediterranean herb. To make wintering easier, you can cultivate spike lavender in a bucket or pot all year round.

For more information on the correct Overwintering lavender in the bed and in the pot can be found here.

Types of lavender: note soil requirements

For a rich flowering and healthy growth, the location requirements of the lavender species must be observed. If the French lavender is to be planted without sandy soil, you can simply work sand into the bed on the spot. In order to create a calcareous environment for the spike lavender and the common lavender, you can help with an appropriate dosage of commercially available lime fertilizer, depending on the soil properties. The following applies to all species: Water and fertilize little, because waterlogging is the enemy of these Mediterranean plants.

More to Care of lavender can be found here in our special article.