Growing French Lavender: Location, Care & Co.

The French lavender attracts attention thanks to its flower shape and intense colour. We show what you need to consider when growing in your own garden.

the French lavender (Lavandula stoechas) belongs to the mint family (Lamiaceae). He is related to the famous real lavender (Lavandula angustifolia) and the spike lavender (Lavandula latifolia). Nevertheless, the French lavender stands out thanks to its striking, large bracts at the top of the inflorescence. Depending on the variety, these can appear in pure white, strong purple or radiant violet. They can also differ in color from the actual flowers arranged in spikes and, depending on the variety, offer a real spectacle of colors during the course of flowering. We will show you how to grow the colorful lavender in your garden.

Even if the French lavender is closely related to the real lavender, there are differences in cultivation and care. What you should consider when using French lavender is explained below.

The right location for French lavender

In contrast to many other types of lavender, the French lavender prefers a lime-poor soil. It does best on sandy ground that has good water drainage. For cultivation in pots, you can simply mix substrate for potted plants with sand (4 parts substrate, 1 part sand) - then the French lavender will feel right at home. The location of the French lavender may be in full sun.

Multiply French lavender

French lavender can be easily propagated by sowing and also quickly multiplies by itself when cultivated in a bed. The seeds of the Mediterranean shrub need a lot of warmth and light to germinate. Outdoors, therefore, you should not sow seeds before June and the sowing should not be covered with a layer of substrate to protect it from drying out. In a warm house, the seed can of course be sown earlier. It makes sense here to sow from mid-February in order to plant the plants outside as strengthened young plants from mid-May after the last frosts. But be careful: The plants grown indoors are susceptible to sunburn and should therefore first find their place outdoors in a rather shady place.

Pour and fertilize the French lavender

When growing in the bed, the French lavender does not need to be watered, or only rarely, except during longer periods of drought. If it is cultivated in a pot, it needs to be watered noticeably more regularly. It is important to keep the substrate evenly moist, but not wet. And the supply of nutrients is also very important for French lavender, since the beautiful flowers quickly fail to appear in the event of malnutrition. In the spring, before budding, some primarily organic long-term fertilizer is worked into the soil in the bed. Our Plantura organic universal fertilizer is ideal for supporting the French lavender in the long term.

Cut French lavender

French lavender tends to become woody in the lower part of the plant. Therefore, a shaping pruning should be carried out regularly. In addition, you can enjoy richer flowering from the resulting young shoots.

It is best to cut off half to two thirds of the length of the shoots in early spring when they begin to sprout (around the beginning of March). However, you must not cut into the woody part, because the French lavender can no longer sprout there. If there is only a sparse bloom or no bloom at all on the French lavender in summer, a cut can still be made, which stimulates the formation of flowers.

Overwinter the French lavender

By nature, the French lavender is relatively poorly protected against frosty temperatures. It only withstands temperatures down to -5 °C without frost damage. That is why it is advisable to place it in a bright place in the house in winter. If the temperatures in early spring don't drop too much during the day and the sun is getting stronger again, it can be brought outside again early. Nevertheless, it must be protected with care, especially from frosty temperatures at night.

More information about Care of the French lavender, for correct watering, fertilizing, cutting and wintering, you will find in our special article.

Harvest French lavender

Of main interest are the inflorescences of French lavender. These are best harvested when about half of the small, spike-like flowers are open. The leaf tips, which are used to refine meat and fish dishes, can be harvested at any time as required.

Store and dry French lavender

French lavender can be dried well and easily in the air. To do this, simply hang up the cut shoots upside down. After about two weeks, drying is complete in a dry, well-ventilated room. However, some of the intense flavors are lost through this process. Another way to preserve the smell and taste of French lavender is to soak it in oil. Here, all parts of the plant must be covered with oil so that no mold can form through contact with the air.