Lavender mystery

Remember when I was really excited about our new lavender variety, ‘Coconut Ice’? It’s flowering, and I’m sorry to have to report that about three quarters of the plants are not ‘Coconut Ice’. The flowers should be a light pink, and on most they’re blue-purple. I’m not sure what variety the rogue plants are, but they have very nice flowers and are still the perennial type.

'Coconut Ice'-- the nice light, mauvey pink. '???'-- the blue/purple.....

We still have a few of the real ‘Coconut Ice’ left, so best snatch them up while you can. Remember that ‘Rosea’ has pink flowers and ‘Edelweiss’ has white, so if you miss out you still have those as tried-and-true, reliable, and recommended back-ups.

Herb seedlings are now planted & available! ~Cilantro/Coriander, Dill, Florence Fennel, Chives, Chervil, Lemon Basil, Cinnamon Basil, ‘Siam Queen’ Basil, Sorrel, Watercress, and Chamomile. And, as a result of a horrifically misspelled catalog entry we have Cardoon instead of Cardamom; Cardoon is also known as globe artichoke.

Catnip and Catgrass will hopefully be available in a few weeks.

~As of today, there were five pots of Lemon Verbena left! Get ‘em fast, there won’t be more til next year!

Frostbite, and other musings

I mentioned yesterday that it’s too early to plant outdoors because we’re still at risk for frost. I thought I’d share a picture of my frostbitten Golden oregano to show you what can happen if you get too anxious to plant. (This one was planted last summer.) Poor baby. Luckily, it’ll be okay. With something hardy like oregano, it’ll look shabby for a little while, but once new leaves start growing you won’t even be able to tell it ever got zapped. If your plants look like this (coincidentally, they’ll have similar brown edges in high summer if they get sunburnt), trim off affected leaves so that they don’t rot and harm the other, healthy leaves.

My garden will be undergoing some major changes this year. I planted most of my plants at the same time, and didn’t take very good care of them last year. Most of the plants were probably 7 or 8 years old (I had them growing in large planters for several years before they went in the garden), and many kicked the bucket this winter. So I’ll be starting over, trying out new varieties, and learning from my past mistakes.

For example, ‘Grower’s Friend’ sage gets really big. I didn’t quite comprehend how big, until it crowded out several other plants. Here’s one with my sandal next to it for comparison, and a snazzy pink outline:

If I’d kept it cut back it would have been smaller, and would not have that unsightly dead spot in the middle. Something similar happened to the thyme next to it, there at the bottom right. The branches are about 10 inches long but only have leaves on the last 2-3 inches.

And on a more positive note, here’s one of the lavender I planted last summer. Look at all those fresh green leaves! The silvery leaves are dead; if they don’t fall off on their own you can gently brush them off.

Another lavender!

Another lavender to add to the list! L. angustifolia ‘Coconut Ice’. We’ve never had it before, and I am very excited. Flowers are white and fade to pink as they age, similar to ‘Melissa’ (which we have carried in past years), which means that there will be both pink and white flowers on the spike at the same time– a really nice two-tone effect. ‘Coconut Ice’ originally hails from New Zealand. Perennial, like all varieties of L. angustifolia.

I also noticed, while inspecting the cuttings today, that the L. dentata and L. pinnata (toothed and fern-leafed lavender, respectively) plants that we have appear different than in past years. The leaves are different in color, shape, and texture. I’ll be keeping an eye on them as they grow larger, but I suspect they are different varieties than usual. Neither are ever very well labeled when we order; the supplier that I get the L. pinnata cuttings from incorrectly lists them as “L. pinnata buchii”. For the record, L. pinnata and L. buchii are two distinct species that are virtually identical in appearance, except that buchii gets much larger.

(Off to update the Variety List and Lavender posts!)

Lavender, Part 2: Growing & Using

Perennial in central PA?

Yes– L. angustifolia, L. x intermedia (lavandin)

No– L. dentata, L. pinnata, L. stoechas

Sun vs Shade?

Grow all lavender types in full sun.

Size? How far apart should I space lavender when planting in the ground?

L. angustifolia will get about 24 inches across.  Space at least 20 inches apart (measuring from the center of the plant). L. x intermedia (lavandin) can easily reach a diameter of 30-36 inches; space two feet or more apart. The other species are annual, and will not get very large over the course of a summer. You can crowd these a little more– plant around 6-8 inches apart. If you keep your plants trimmed, you can better control their size to work with the space you have available (more on the benefits of that, below). If you don’t want your plants touching, allow more room, but if you want a hedge-like effect plant as directed or slightly closer.

If you’re planting smaller lavender (such as our standard 4″ pot), it can be hard to envision how big they will get. If the garden looks bare, fill in with annuals that you’d have to replace next year anyway (marigolds, geraniums, other bedding plants– this is a great way to introduce color), with annual lavender, or with low-growing/creeping thyme. I think thyme is incredibly underestimated as an ornamental– it grows quickly, flowers prolifically, and when your lavender gets bigger the thyme can often continue growing underneath.

My project from last summer: I planted  4″ lavender 18-20 inches apart, then went back and planted two more in the gap. (And then some thyme, too.) It might take them a few years to fill in, and once they get crowded I plan to dig up the extras and move them elsewhere. Other customers have reported varying amounts of success with transplanting established lavender plants, so that might be worth a shot. If you’re worried about the transplants surviving, try something a little more forgiving, like  mint or oregano.

Other planting advice?

Plant any time in the summer. Our last frost can be as late as Memorial Day, so plan on planting in June at the earliest. I have planted lavender in September and had it survive, but I don’t recommend fall planting. Your plant needs time to get established and put out good strong roots for the winter. In my case it was a very warm fall.

Lavender dislikes having wet feet– for best results choose an area with good drainage. My backyard transitions randomly between shale and clay, which isn’t good for most herbs; I prepared my chosen planting area by chopping up the clay, removing a lot of it to a depth of a foot or so, and then mixing the remainder with generous portions of sand, peat moss, mushroom compost, and topsoil. Everything is thriving!

I said ‘good drainage’– this does NOT mean, ‘don’t water’. If lavender is continually allowed to dry out to the point that it wilts or -even worse- goes crispy, you will kill it. If it makes it through the summer, it will probably not come back in the spring. If it does, it will not be pretty. Do not kill your lavender! Good drainage means that the water has a chance to get sucked up by the roots, but doesn’t stay there to drown them. Clay is not good; it stays wet too long, and then dries out as hard as a rock. Water your lavender every day, or every other day– there is no hard and fast rule, you will have to create a schedule based on your lavender’s needs. Let the soil dry out a bit between waterings, but don’t let the plant wilt. You may find that the plants need water daily starting out and then require less as they become established.

Plants are like people, if you leave them out in the sun all day long with no water they will get dehydrated. Dehydration can kill. Drowning can also kill. If you dry up your plant really badly, panic, and water the heck out of it, it might perk up a bit, but will most likely die in several weeks. This cycle of drying and soaking weakens it and leaves it open to disease and rot.

Cutting back lavender, or Aaaahh! It’s too pretty to cut!!

It’s true. You will not want to cut back your lavender. But it’s really better if you do. Cutting it back will keep it nicely shaped; if lavenders get too big and leggy they will fall open in the center, showing off bald lower branches instead of healthy growth and flowers. If your lavender has reached this point, cut it back gradually so that there are always buds on the trunk (indicating new baby branches) as well as healthy leaves and stems. Eventually you can encourage the lower bare part of the trunk to put out fresh growth.

You can start out with cutting the plant back after it has done flowering, if you haven’t been cutting off the flower stems for bouquets or other projects. If you look at the stem, you’ll see that the flowers form a whorl at the top of the spike. The stem below is leafless for several inches, is punctuated with a single pair of leaves, is bare for another inch or two, and then shows more leaves and branches. That’s where you want to cut the spike off– where that dense branching is, not up by that lone pair of leaves.

At the end of summer or beginning of fall, before the first frost, you should cut the plant back for the winter. I read somewhere that you should cut back lavender by two-thirds of that year’s growth. It works wonders, but you can cut off less if you’re unsure. Cut it off like I mentioned above– never cut a branch back to the point that it doesn’t have leaves, because how will it photosynthesize? Always leave stems with leaves, even if it’s shaped funny– you can always trim it up later when there are enough good branches filling in the gaps.

If you don’t get this done in the fall, definitely do it early in the spring once the plant cracks open some new leaves- the longer you wait, the more it will delay your flowering time.

What can you use lavender for?

One of lavender’s greatest strengths comes from its beauty as a landscape plant. They’re beautiful on their own, and stunning en masse. I have a row in alternating colors, with a line of roses planted behind–there are no words to describe how lovely it looks! Mine have been established for several years, and bloom twice each summer.

Flowers and leaves can be used in tea; I’ve seen the flowers used in recipes for cookies, ice cream, jelly/jam, and flavored vinegars. Lavender honey is quite tasty. Dried leaves and flowers can be used in potpourri or in sachets for freshening clothing/repelling insects.

While I do not feel qualified to suggest medical uses I will say that I’ve used lavender essential oil and, in a pinch, fresh bruised leaves to soothe bug bites and bee stings.

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Part 1: Species Overview & Top Varieties

Part 3: Flowers

To see all 2010 plants, check the Complete List of Varieties.

Lavender, Part 3: Flowers

L. angustifolia 'Hidcote' and 'Melissa'

Flower shape?

L. angustifolia and the lavandins have a similar shape: a number of tiny flowers grouped together at the end of a spike. The overall size can vary- some are very dense and tightly packed, others are looser.

L. stoechas flowers are tightly packed and the spike is topped with bracts, which are usually large and feathery-looking.

For more on bracts, here’s Wikipedia.

L. dentata resembles L. stoechas, but with stubbier, less graceful bracts and longer flower heads.

L. pinnata doesn’t have bracts. Flower heads can be single, or sometimes in groups of three. Blooms from the bottom of the head upward, with a fluffy look that matches the airiness of the foliage.

L. pinnata

Flower color?

L. angustifolia ‘Coconut Ice’:  White, fading to pink as the flowers age. Spikes may have both pink and white flowers at the same time– nice two-tone effect.

L. angustifolia ‘Hidcote Blue’:  Medium/dark purple.

L. angustifolia ‘Maillette’:  Medium/dark purple.

L. angustifolia ‘Munstead’:  Pale lavendery purple.

L. angustifolia ‘Rosea’:  Pale/medium pink.

L. angustifolia ‘Twickel Purple’:  Medium purple.

L. dentata: Pale lavender/periwinkle blue.

L. x intermedia ‘Edelweiss’:  White.

L. x intermedia ‘Fred Boutin’:  Medium purple, with a bluer tinge.

L. x intermedia ‘Grosso’:  Light purple, a little darker than Munstead.

L. x intermedia ‘Provence’: Medium lavendery purple.

L. pinnata:  Light purple.

L. stoechas ‘Marshwood’:  Dark purple. Bracts are white with purple veins.

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Part 1: Species Overview & Top Varieties

Part 2: Growing & Using

To see all 2010 plants, check the Complete List of Varieties.

Lavender, part 1: Species Overview & Top Varieties

We’re going to start off with lavender simply because of all the herbs I grow, it’s my favorite. That’s hard to say, since I like almost everything I grow! I’ll be breaking the topic up over several entries, since there’s a lot of information and pictures.

I stock several very different kinds of lavender. I’m going to be referring to them by their scientific (Latin) names to give general info, and by variety (in quotations) for more specific info.

General overview of Lavender species

L. angustifolia. And a gnome.

Lavandula angustifolia is the classic lavender. Perennial, will perform beautifully for many years if cared for (see the upcoming Part 2 for growing tips).

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L. x intermedia 'Grosso'

L. x intermedia is referred to as ‘lavandin’. It closely resembles L. angustifolia in leaf and flower shape, since it is a hybrid between L. angustifolia and L. latifolia. The key difference is that lavandins are WAY bigger.

Left: L. angustifolia flowering. Right: L. x intermedia blooming. Both plants are the same age, and were planted at the same time.

Lavandins are most widely grown for lavender oil production, even though they have a higher camphor content than L. angustifolia. Camphor is anesthetic (cooling, like the menthol found in mint) and antimicrobial; it’s an ingredient in some cough medicines and in Vicks VapoRub. High camphor content can make lavender taste less pleasant, so if you’re cooking use either L. angustifolia or a lavandin for best results. Perennial.

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Finely toothed leaves make L. dentata quite distinctive

L. dentata is most frequently called toothed or fringed lavender in the USA. Striking green leaves and a really nice upright, columnar habit instead of mounded. Grow as an annual– it will keel over at the first frost, but can still be great in your garden. It grows pretty fast and is worth it even if it has to be replaced every year. I also have a special soft spot for it because some variety of it (similar to ours, but not quite the same) is the most prevalent garden lavender in New Zealand, where I studied abroad several years ago. It was in nearly every garden, and I used to smell it every day on my way to class.

L. dentata, as a hedge in New Zealand. A hedge!!! It won't get as tall for us in PA, but it's still fantastic.

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L. pinnata has finely cut, fern-like leaves

L. pinnata is absolutely stunning with its fern-like leaves. It’s annual in our area and will die after the first fall frost, but its color and texture make it fantastic in the garden as an accent plant. It won’t have enough time to get huge, so you can use it to fill gaps and small areas that perennial lavender or other herbs will outgrow.

L. pinnata flower spike

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L. stoechas, growing at the Botanic Garden in Wellington, New Zealand.

L. stoechas is known by a number of conflicting names, including Spanish lavender. [Since place names are often misapplied to all different species of lavender, I do not label our plants by these names.] They can be grown as annuals in central PA. High camphor content makes them less pleasant for cooking/baking, but they have fantastic, unusual flowers and make terrific ornamental plants. Same as for L. pinnata– great filler plant. Leaves are similar to L. angustifolia, but more slender and less silvery.

Top Varieties

I think all of our lavenders are real winners. That being said, here are the varieties I typically recommend to first-time growers looking for perennial types.

‘Hidcote’ and ‘Munstead’: These are our two best-selling varieties. They are consistently strong and hardy, with terrific scent & flavor. ‘Munstead’ is a lighter shade of lavender-purple, while ‘Hidcote’ is dark purple. They are both very striking, and look great planted together:

‘Rosea’: This variety is tough as nails, just like ‘Hidcote’ and ‘Munstead’, but has pink flowers.

‘Provence’ and ‘Edelweiss’ are my preferred lavandins. I have always had great luck with ‘Provence’– ‘Grosso’ is also great, and is actually the leading variety grown for oil production, but it has a tendency to fall open in the center. ‘Provence’ has a trimmer shape and nice flowers. ‘Edelweiss’ is similar in habit and is a terrific plant in the garden, with the added appeal of white flowers.

L. angustifolia ‘Melissa’: We haven’t carried this variety for a few years, but I have to mention it because it’s my all-time favorite. The flowers are white when they open but fade to the palest of pinks as they age. It is just so delicate and elegant and looks fantastic planted with purple lavender and has a very neat compact shape; I’m hoping to carry it again in the future.

*edit, 3-04-10: We now have ‘Coconut Ice’, which has a different growing habit than ‘Melissa’ (less compact, according to my reading), but very similar flowers!

New Varieties

L. angustifolia ‘Coconut Ice’

Discontinued Varieties

I decided to discontinue several L. stoechas varieties:  ‘Kew Red’ and ‘Devonshire Compact Purple’. They always seem to suffer in the greenhouse. If you bought one of these in the past and thought it did well in your garden, do let me know– I’m always willing to give second chances.  ‘Marshwood’ is now the only variety that we carry of this species.

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Lavender, Part 2: Growing & Using

Part 3: Flowers

To see all 2010 plants, check the Complete List of Varieties.