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Shrubs

Lavandula stoechas

French lavender

A bushy, upright evergreen shrub, to 60cm high and 40cm wide. Foliage is aromatic and grey-green. The freely-produced fragrant flowerheads are densely cylindrical, tapering to a blunt tip, crowned by 4 sterile bracts 2.5cm long, give the heads a distinctive appearance. Flowers are very dark purple, calyces rather paler and greyer. Flowers for a long season over spring and summer

Other common names

cassidony
cast-me-down
see moreSpanish lavender
sticadoue
stick-a-dove

Synonyms

Lavandula stoechas 'French'

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Ultimate height

0.5–1 metres

Time to ultimate height

2–5 years

Ultimate spread

0.5–1 metres

Chalk

Loam

Sand

Moisture

Well–drained

pH

Acid, Alkaline, Neutral

	Stem	Flower	Foliage	Fruit
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter

Full sun

Aspect

South–facing or East–facing or West–facing

Exposure

Sheltered

Drought resistance

Yes

Hardiness
Hardiness ratings
All ratings refer to the UK growing conditions unless otherwise stated. Minimum temperature ranges (in degrees C) are shown in brackets
H1a: under glass all year (>15C)
H1b: can be grown outside in the summer (10 - 15)
H1c: can be grown outside in the summer (5 - 10)
H2: tolerant of low temperatures, but not surviving being frozen (1 to 5)
H3: hardy in coastal and relatively mild parts of the UK (-5 to 1)
H4: hardy through most of the UK (-10 to -5)
H5: hardy in most places throughout the UK even in severe winters (-15 to -10)
H6: hardy in all of UK and northern Europe (-20 to -15)
H7: hardy in the severest European continental climates (< -20)

Botanical details

Family: Lamiaceae
Native to GB / Ireland: No
Foliage: Evergreen
Habit: Bushy
Genus: Lavandula are small aromatic evergreen shrubs with usually narrow, simple, entire, toothed or lobed leaves and small tubular flowers in dense spikes in summer
Name status: Correct
Plant range: Mediterranean

How to grow

Cultivation

Grow in any well-drained soil in full sun. See lavender cultivation for further advice

Propagation

Propagate by seed in spring or propagate by semi-ripe cuttings in summer

Suggested planting locations and garden types

Cottage and informal garden
Gravel garden
Patio and container plants
Wildlife gardens
Mediterranean climate plants
City and courtyard gardens
Coastal
Rock garden
Garden edging
Banks and slopes
Flower borders and beds

Pruning

Pruning group 10

Pests

May be susceptible to rosemary beetle and cuckoo spit (froghoppers)

Diseases

High Risk Host for Xylella fastidiosa. May be susceptible to grey moulds (Botrytis) and honey fungus (rarely)

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