Plant Name: Lavender, Ballerina
Botanical Name: Lavendula stoechas, “Ballerina.” Hybrid cross between L. stoechas and L. viridis.
Note: The Stoechas family of lavenders is easy to identify as the flowers on all are cylindrical with the look of “rabbit ears” or “butterfly wings” on top of the flower. The plant varieties come in numerous different colors and many bloom continuously throughout the year. The name “Stoechas” comes from Stoechades, the former name of a group of islands off the coast of France.
Origin: Peter Carter, The Ploughman’s Garden and Nursery, Waiuku, South Auckland, New Zealand, 1997.
Height/Physical Description: This variety grows 30 to 36 inches in height and width. The leaves are light green with flowers that are bi-color, dark purple with cream and pink bracts on 4 to 6 inch stems. The flowers bloom continuously starting in early Spring.
Special Attributes: The flowers have unique colors and the top of the flower has the appearance of arms stretched above a ballerina’s head.
Purchasing: Online or private nurseries.
Planting Requirements: Plant in Spring after danger of frost or in the Fall. Lavenders require good drainage. If soil is mostly clay, amending and aerating the planting area will ensure better success. Planting in a dome is another way to promote good drainage and keep your lavender from sinking down in clay soil. The preferred mulch at the base of the plant is gravel or a thin layer of compost. Do not use wood or leaf mulches as this contributes to root rot.
Repotting and transplanting: To determine your lavender is hardy and ready to repot or transplant, check the bottom of the container for vigorous roots coming out of the drainage holes. This is a sign of good health.
Watering: Water at base of plant only. Lavenders do not like overhead spray. Use of a drip system is best. Put on a drip line with plants that have similar water needs to avoid overwatering. Lavenders rot very easily when overwatered. To avoid this, allow the soil to dry out moderately before next watering.
Fertilizing: Lavenders are hillside plants that thrive in rocky, good draining soil that is somewhat alkaline (pH of 6.5 to 7.5). Lavenders do not require a great deal of fertilizer as they prefer neutral soil. Since this is the case, use of compost or compost tea is all that is needed.
Blooming Time/Harvesting: Flowers bloom continuously starting in Spring.
Pruning: Lavenders can live up to 25 years if well maintained. The time to prune is after the flush of flowers. The flowers and stems should be gently pruned so the plant is the shape of a ball. Consider it a haircut not a severe pruning. Removing the flowers in this manner allows the plant to regenerate foliage and avoids it from becoming “woody.”
Note: If the plant has become woody, it cannot be reversed. It will live but will not have the original full shape that it had at the beginning.
Pruning underneath the plant is another way to keep the plant healthy as this promotes good air circulation which prevents root rot.
Pests: Spittle bugs, grasshoppers, gophers, moles.
Diseases: Root rot.
Hardiness: zones 7-10
Additional Comments: Beautiful plant that provides color from Spring and throughout the year.
Plant Name: Lavender, Betty’s Blue
Botanical Name: Lavendula angustifolia, “Betty’s Blue”
Origin: Nichols Garden Nursery, Albany, Oregon, 1998
Height/Physical Description: This variety is 30 inches in height, 30 to 36 inches wide, stem length 6 to 8 inches, dark blue flowers, gray-green leaves.
Special Attributes: This variety blooms once early in Summer. The plant size is easy to manage in residential gardens.
Purchasing: Online or private nurseries that carry special varieties.
Planting Requirements: Plant in Spring after danger of frost or in the Fall. Lavenders require good drainage. If soil is mostly clay, amending and aerating the planting area will ensure better success. Planting in a dome is another way to promote good drainage and keep your lavender from sinking down in clay soil. The preferred mulch at the base of the plant is gravel or a thin layer of compost. Do not use wood or leaf mulches as this contributes to root rot.
Repotting and transplanting: To determine your lavender is hardy and ready to repot or transplant, check the bottom of the container for vigorous roots coming out of the drainage holes. This is a sign of good health.
Watering: Water at base of plant only. Lavenders do not like overhead spray. Use of a drip system is best. Put on a drip line with plants that have similar water needs to avoid overwatering. Lavenders rot very easily when overwatered. To avoid this, allow the soil to dry out moderately before next watering.
Fertilizing: Lavenders are hillside plants that thrive in rocky, good draining soil that is somewhat alkaline (pH of 6.5 to 7.5). Lavenders do not require a great deal of fertilizer as they prefer neutral soil. Since this is the case, use of compost or compost tea is all that is needed.
Blooming Time/Harvesting: Dark blue flowers once in early Summer. Harvest when flowers first pop open.
Pruning: Lavenders can live up to 25 years if well maintained. The time to prune is after the flush of flowers. The flowers and stems should be gently pruned so the plant is the shape of a ball. Consider it a haircut not a severe pruning. Removing the flowers in this manner allows the plant to regenerate foliage and avoids it from becoming “woody.”
Note: If the plant has become woody, it cannot be reversed. It will live but will not have the original full shape that it had at the beginning.
Pruning underneath the plant is another way to keep the plant healthy as this promotes good air circulation which prevents root rot.
Pests: Spittle bugs, grasshoppers, gophers, moles.
Diseases: Root rot.
Hardiness: zones 5-9
Additional Comments: Betty’s Blue is a type of lavendula angustifolia. Angustifolias are considered “true lavender” and known for being some of the most cold-hardy varieties. Their colors seem more vibrant, flowers seem more fragrant and taste sweet. A common name that is used for Angustifolias is “English” lavender. This is not an accurate term especially since lavenders are grown worldwide. The best way to identify a lavender or any plant in general is by using its botanical name.
Plant Name: Lavender, Buena Vista
Botanical Name: Lavendula angustifolia “Buena Vista”
Origin: Donald Roberts, Premier Botanicals, Independence, Oregon, 1981.
Height/Physical Description: 24 to 30 inches in height and width, stem length 10 to 12 inches, medium purple flower that blooms continuously starting in Spring, green leaves.
Special Attributes: The flowers are medium purple and continuously bloom starting in Spring, have a very sweet fragrance, and are great for culinary use.
Purchasing: Online or from nurseries that have a reputation for carrying multiple varieties.
Planting Requirements: Plant in Spring after danger of frost or in the Fall. Lavenders require good drainage. If soil is mostly clay, amending and aerating the planting area will ensure better success. Planting in a dome is another way to promote good drainage and keep your lavender from sinking down in clay soil. The preferred mulch at the base of the plant is gravel or a thin layer of compost. Do not use wood or leaf mulches as this contributes to root rot.
Repotting and transplanting: To determine your lavender is hardy and ready to repot or transplant, check the bottom of the container for vigorous roots coming out of the drainage holes. This is a sign of good health.
Watering: Water at base of plant only. Lavenders do not like overhead spray. Use of a drip system is best. Put on a drip line with plants that have similar water needs to avoid overwatering. Lavenders rot very easily when overwatered. To avoid this, allow the soil to dry out moderately before next watering.
Fertilizing: Lavenders are hillside plants that thrive in rocky, good draining soil that is somewhat alkaline (pH of 6.5 to 7.5). Lavenders do not require a great deal of fertilizer as they prefer neutral soil. Since this is the case, use of compost or compost tea is all that is needed.
Blooming Time/Harvesting: Medium purple flowers that bloom continuously starting in Spring. Harvest when flowers first pop open.
Pruning: Lavenders can live up to 25 years if well maintained. The time to prune is after the flush of flowers. The flowers and stems should be gently pruned so the plant is the shape of a ball. Consider it a haircut not a severe pruning. Removing the flowers in this manner allows the plant to regenerate foliage and avoids it from becoming “woody.”
Note: If the plant has become woody, it cannot be reversed. It will live but will not have the original full shape that it had at the beginning.
Pruning underneath the plant is another way to keep the plant healthy as this promotes good air circulation which prevents root rot.
Pests: Spittle bugs, grasshoppers, gophers, moles.
Diseases: Root rot.
Hardiness: zones 5-9
Additional Comments: Buena Vista is a type of lavendula angustifolia. Angustifolias are considered “true lavender” and known for being some of the most cold-hardy varieties. Their colors seem more vibrant, flowers seem more fragrant and taste sweet. A common name that is used for Angustifolias is “English” lavender. This is not an accurate term especially since lavenders are grown worldwide. The best way to identify a lavender or any plant in general is by using its botanical name.