Provence lavender

Sun

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

Water

Water regularly during establishment, allowing the soil to dry between waterings. Established plants need little supplemental water except during prolonged drought; containers need more frequent checks.

Soil

Lean, sharply drained sandy, gravelly or loamy soil, preferably neutral to alkaline. Avoid waterlogged ground and rich, heavily composted beds.

Height

2-3 ft (0.6-0.9 m), including flower stems

Spread

2-3 ft (0.6-0.9 m)

Flowers

Pale lavender-purple flowers on long stems in early to midsummer, sometimes continuing into late summer.

Foliage

Evergreen. Narrow, aromatic, silver-grey to grey-green leaves on woody stems; foliage may thin or suffer damage in cold winters.

Growth

Moderate

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

Fairly tough

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

1. Planting day

   1.6 ft (0.5 m)

2. After 1 year

   1.8 ft (0.55 m)

3. After 2 years

   2 ft (0.6 m)

4. After 3 years

   2.1 ft (0.65 m)

5. After 5 years

   2.5 ft (0.75 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

• Water at soil level and let the root zone dry between waterings; do not keep the crown damp.
• In heavy soil, use a raised bed or broad mound rather than adding grit only to the planting hole.
• Skip routine feeding; rich soil and high-nitrogen fertiliser encourage floppy growth.
• Use a light gravel mulch if needed, keeping it clear of the stem bases; avoid deep organic mulch around the crown.
• Allow space for air circulation, especially in humid climates.
• At the cold end of its range, choose a sheltered, freely drained site; exposed or wet sites may not overwinter reliably.

Pruning. After the main flowering flush, remove spent stems and lightly shape the leafy growth, avoiding a hard cut before winter. In spring, remove dead or damaged shoots and shorten straggly leafy stems, but do not cut into bare old wood, which often fails to reshoot.

For culinary use, cut flower stems when the buds are fully coloured and the first flowers are just opening, after surface moisture has dried. Use small amounts of fresh or dried buds from plants not treated with pesticides unsuitable for edible crops; hang small bundles in a dry, shaded, airy place.

Spring

Remove winter-damaged shoots once new growth shows which stems are alive.

Spring

Plant after severe frosts have passed, setting the crown at its original soil level and watering it in.

Early summer

Harvest culinary flower buds as the first flowers begin to open.

Summer

Check new plants and containers during dry spells; water deeply only when the soil has dried.

After flowering

Remove spent flower stems and lightly trim the leafy outline.

Late summer

Take semi-ripe cuttings from healthy, non-flowering shoots.

Winter

Keep fallen leaves away from the crown and check that containers and beds drain freely.

• Plant as a low, informal hedge beside a sunny path, allowing room for the flower stems to lean outward.
• Repeat in gravel gardens with santolina and upright stonecrops for contrasting shapes and silver foliage.
• Combine with roses in a sunny, well-drained border, keeping rose fertiliser and frequent irrigation away from the lavender roots.
• Use in a herb garden or potager for culinary flowers, fragrance and visiting bees.
• Grow in a large container beside a sunny seating area, using a freely draining potting mix.

Garden styles it suits: French country (Provençal), Mediterranean, Dry gravel garden, Cottage garden, Herb parterre and Pollinator garden.

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

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

• Root and crown rot: yellowing, wilting or sudden collapse often follows persistently wet soil. Improve drainage, reduce watering and replace badly affected plants in a drier position.
• Woody, bare growth: irregular pruning leaves a spreading framework that rarely regrows from old wood. Trim leafy growth annually and replace plants that have become mostly bare.
• Winter damage: cold winds and wet soil can kill shoots, especially near the cold limit. Provide shelter and excellent drainage, and wait until spring growth appears before removing damaged stems.
• Floppy growth and sparse flowering: shade, rich soil or excess nitrogen encourage weak shoots. Move to full sun and stop routine feeding.

Lavender contains linalool and linalyl acetate and is considered toxic to cats, dogs and horses if eaten; ingestion may cause digestive upset and reduced appetite. Leaves and flowers contain these compounds, while concentrated essential oil poses a greater risk and should not be applied to pets. For people, small culinary quantities of flowers are generally safe, but essential oil should not be swallowed; oils and foliage may irritate sensitive skin.

• English lavender (Lavandula angustifolia)

  Usually forms a smaller plant with shorter flower stalks that generally carry a single, unbranched flower spike; Provence typically has longer stalks with side branches and flowers somewhat later.

• Spanish lavender or French lavender (Lavandula stoechas)

  Has short, dense flower heads topped by conspicuous upright, petal-like bracts resembling rabbit ears. Provence has elongated flower spikes without these bracts.

• Grosso lavender (Lavandula × intermedia 'Grosso')

  Typically has darker violet flowers in denser, more compact heads; Provence has paler flowers in longer, looser spikes. Nursery labels are more dependable than flower colour alone.

The hybrid epithet intermedia means 'intermediate', referring to its parentage between English lavender, Lavandula angustifolia, and spike lavender, Lavandula latifolia.

Propagation. Take softwood cuttings in late spring or semi-ripe cuttings in late summer, using non-flowering shoots and a freely draining rooting medium. Layering low stems also works. Lavandin is generally sterile, and seed is not a reliable way to reproduce 'Provence'.

Accepted botanical name

Lavandula intermedia

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