Lavender
Lavandula dentata · Lamiaceae
📷 KENPEI · CC BY-SA 3.0
The gardener's calendar
Lavender is in full bloom: enjoy it, watch watering in hot weather and let spent flowers feed pollinators before pruning.
ID card
- Foliage
- Evergreen, finely toothed and aromatic
- Flowering
- May to September, violet flowers in spikes
- Adult size
- 80 cm tall, bushy habit
- Growth
- Fast to moderate
- Hardiness
- Moderate, -5 to -8 °C
- Exposure
- Full sun essential
- Water requirements
- Very low, drought-tolerant
- Origin
- North Africa and Mediterranean
✓ Taxonomy verifiedSource: AI estimate · hardiness: reliability high.
Expert tips
The key tip
Deadhead the spent flower spikes regularly to extend blooming until October. It rejuvenates in summer if you cut it back to 10 cm tall after the first flowering: it reflowers in September.
The common mistake
Leaving all the dried spikes in place in August: the plant exhausts itself and won't rebloom, it just vegetates until frost.
The pro's trick
Dry the cut spikes for infusions or decoration: while they dry, the plant sends energy to produce new flowers.
Care
Watering
Water moderately at planting, then very little once established. Toothed lavender is very drought-tolerant and fears excess moisture. In containers, let the substrate dry between waterings. In winter, reduce or stop watering depending on your climate.
Exposure and light
Plant in full sun for at least 6 hours a day, ideally all day long. Generous exposure intensifies the aroma of the foliage and promotes generous flowering. Avoid shade or partial shade, which makes the plant etiolated.
Soil and drainage
Well-draining soil is essential: toothed lavender cannot tolerate waterlogged roots. Prefer light, rocky or sandy substrate, poor to moderately fertile. Improve heavy soil with sand or gravel at planting.
Pruning and maintenance
Prune lightly after flowering to maintain a compact, bushy shape. Avoid cutting into bare wood; prefer gradual rejuvenation every 3 to 4 years. Severe pruning or pruning at the wrong time can weaken the plant.
Fertilizer
A moderate application in spring is sufficient on poor soil. Toothed lavender prefers lean soils and doesn't require regular fertilizing. Avoid excessive nitrogen, which encourages foliage at the expense of flowering.
Diseases and pests
Toothed lavender is generally very healthy. The main risk is root rot in case of excessive moisture or poorly drained soil. Aerate the base of the plant and remove dead branches in late winter.
Did you know?
Toothed lavender, native to the Maghreb, distinguishes itself from its Mediterranean cousins through its finely toothed leaves that give it its name. Traditionally used in North Africa for cooking and remedies, it has conquered modern Mediterranean gardens as an ornamental and aromatic plant, a symbol of resilience in the face of drought.
Where to buy it
Best planted in autumn so the roots settle in before summer, or in early spring once the frost has passed. Pick a plant with healthy foliage and roots that are not exposed. Best time: March, October, November.
Add this plant to my garden →Plants from the same family
- ThymeThymus vulgaris
- LavenderLavandula angustifolia
- SageSalvia officinalis
- RosemarySalvia rosmarinus
- BasilOcimum basilicum
- BugleAjuga reptans
Tips generated and checked by Viridia — adapt them to your local climate.