Lavender 'Munstead'

Sun

Full sun; aim for at least 6 hours of direct sunlight daily.

Water

Water regularly during establishment, letting the soil dry between waterings. Established plants tolerate drought; containers need more frequent checks.

Soil

Lean to moderately fertile, sharply drained soil, preferably neutral to alkaline. Avoid waterlogged clay and damp, heavily enriched beds.

Height

1-2 ft (0.3-0.6 m), including flower stems

Spread

1.5-2 ft (0.45-0.6 m)

Flowers

Violet-blue flowers in late spring to midsummer, depending on climate; a lighter repeat flush sometimes follows trimming.

Foliage

Narrow, aromatic grey-green leaves on a compact, branching woody framework; foliage may thin or become semi-evergreen in cold winters.

Growth

Moderate; usually reaches a useful border size within 2-3 growing seasons.

Care needed

Low

• Pollinators
• Deer resistant
• Drought tolerant
• Heat tolerant
• Low allergen
• Fragrant

Northern hemisphere months. In Australia, shift them by six.

Difficulty

Easy

Toughness

Very tough

Pick your zone, country, light and whether you have pets.

1. Planting day

   1.5 ft (0.45 m)

   full size

About 5 years to full size.

From a typical nursery size, at an average rate for this kind of plant. A rule of thumb, not a forecast.

Cats and dogs

Toxic

Growth rate

Moderate

• Plant in spring in cold or wet-winter areas, keeping the crown at soil level.
• Water at the base and allow the root zone to dry between soakings; never leave pots standing in water.
• Avoid routine feeding and rich manure, which encourage soft, sprawling growth.
• Use a light gravel mulch if needed, keeping the crown clear; avoid moisture-holding mulch against the stems.
• Use a pot with drainage holes and a free-draining potting mix; protect container roots from severe freezing.

Pruning. After the main flowering flush, remove spent stems and lightly shorten the leafy shoots to maintain a rounded shape. In spring, remove winter damage once new growth appears, but avoid cutting into bare old wood because it may not regrow.

For culinary use, snip flower stems on a dry morning when the first few flowers on each spike have opened; choose plants that have not been treated with pesticides unsuitable for edible crops. Use the buds fresh or hang small bunches in a dry, airy place, then strip off the dried buds and use sparingly.

Spring

Plant once the soil is workable and no longer waterlogged; check drainage before planting.

Mid-spring

Check for new growth and trim away dead or frost-damaged tips without cutting deeply into bare wood.

Late spring

Water newly planted lavender during dry spells, allowing the soil to dry between waterings.

Summer

Harvest culinary flower spikes as the first flowers open, leaving others for pollinators.

After flowering

Remove spent spikes and lightly shape the leafy growth.

Autumn

Clear fallen leaves from the crown and check that pots drain freely; avoid hard pruning.

Winter

Keep roots out of standing water and shelter pots from prolonged rain and severe freezing.

• Plant as a low hedge beside a sunny path, where brushing the foliage releases its scent.
• Repeat rounded plants through gravel beds with rosemary, thyme and ornamental grasses.
• Edge a formal herb garden with closely spaced plants for a soft, fragrant boundary.
• Grow in terracotta containers on sunny patios, using its grey foliage to contrast with darker leaves.
• Combine with roses in a sunny border, keeping lavender out of heavily watered or heavily mulched planting pockets.

Garden styles it suits: English country, Mediterranean, Cottage garden, Herb parterre, Sensory garden and Dry gravel garden.

Plant it with: Rosemary, Thyme, Santolina, Yarrow, Bearded iris and Catmint.

Wildlife: Flowers provide nectar for bees and other pollinating insects. Deer and rabbits usually avoid the aromatic foliage, though no plant is completely browsing-proof.

• Root and crown rot in wet soil: improve drainage or move to a raised bed; discard badly rotted plants and reduce watering.
• Bare, woody stems and an open centre: trim lightly after flowering each year; replace old plants that no longer produce leafy growth near the base.
• Winter dieback: avoid late-season hard pruning, keep the crown dry and wait for spring growth before removing damaged shoots.
• Weak growth and poor flowering: move to full sun, stop high-nitrogen feeding and avoid consistently damp soil.

Leaves and flowers contain aromatic compounds that can be toxic to cats, dogs and horses if eaten, usually causing digestive upset; concentrated lavender oil poses a greater risk. Lavender is not known to be toxic to people in normal culinary quantities, but essential oil should not be swallowed and can irritate skin.

• Lavandin (Lavandula × intermedia)

  Usually taller and broader, with longer flower stems that often branch; it generally flowers later and has a more camphor-like scent.

• French lavender (Lavandula dentata)

  Has conspicuously toothed leaf edges, unlike the smooth-edged leaves of 'Munstead', and is much less cold-hardy.

• Spanish lavender (Lavandula stoechas)

  Has dense, short flower heads topped by prominent upright coloured bracts resembling rabbit ears; 'Munstead' lacks these bracts.

'Munstead' is named for Munstead Wood, the Surrey home and garden of garden designer Gertrude Jekyll.

Propagation. Take non-flowering softwood cuttings in late spring or semi-ripe cuttings in summer. Cuttings preserve the parent plant's characteristics; seed-raised plants sold as 'Munstead' can vary in size, colour and habit.

Accepted botanical name

Lavandula angustifolia

In the US and Canada

Introduced in the lower 48 states.

Native range

France, Italy and Spain.

Measured

Average height 100 cm.

Sources: GBIF (CC BY 4.0), USDA PLANTS and Trefle (CC BY 4.0). The care and design notes are LandscapeGPT's own.