The crested lavender is a particularly flowery type of lavender and is therefore particularly popular with aesthetes among hobby gardeners. But even with its characteristic scent, it is anything but stingy, which also makes it ideal for creative aroma DIY projects.
What kind of plant is lavender?
The crested lavender (Lavandula stoechas) is a non-hardy, evergreen species of lavender from the Mediterranean and North African regions. It grows bushy and reaches a height of 30-50 cm. Its striking flowers have mauve panicles and light purple bracts and exude an intense, aromatic scent.
Origin
The crested lavender, botanically Lavandula stoechas, comes from Mediterranean regions like the better-known real lavender. However, its distribution area also extends further south, namely into northern Africa, the Canary Islands and Madeira. Its original habitat is somewhat warmer than that of real lavender. For cultivation in Central Europe, this means that it cannot be permanently planted outdoors. In contrast to real lavender, it is not frost hardy.
His originally preferred landscape zones are dry, lime-poor shrub heaths and open pine groves.
What you need to know about the origin of lavender:
- Natural distribution area in the Mediterranean to North African region
- is therefore not frost hardy
- prefers lime-poor, dry, light habitats
Growth
The lavender grows as an evergreen subshrub with particularly strongly branched shoots, giving it a very bushy habit. In its natural environment it can reach a height of up to one meter. In this country, when grown in pots, it only grows to a height of 30-50 cm. The shoots are densely covered with leaves and give the lavender a very compact appearance.
leaves
The leaves of crested lavender have a needle-like, lanceolate shape, similar to real lavender, and reach a length of up to 4 centimeters. When they shoot they are still a silvery-green color, later they darken to a tangy green. Aside from the flowers, the leaves also give off a spicy, aromatic scent that is reminiscent of pine needles.
Bloom
The flower gives the lavender its name. Their special feature is the light purple bracts, which stand like a crest over the racemose panicles. They give the shrub as a whole a cheerful, relaxed accent, not least because of the color contrast between the dark, mauve flower spikes, the light bracts and the brownish, felty bracts.
The scent of the flowers is particularly attractive, as it is particularly strong and has a camphor-like, spicy aroma. This not only attracts numerous, useful garden insects, but also invites you to experiment with aromatic, homemade cosmetics or delicatessen.
The characteristics of the lavender flower:
- Spiriform false ear in dark mauve color with light purple bracts
- Very aromatic, spicy scent
- Bee Pasture
Flowering time
The flowering time depends slightly on the variety. The earliest varieties open their flowers at the end of May, the latest ones in September.
Location
The requirements of crested lavender for its location do not differ significantly from those of real lavender. He wants it to be warm and dry, with as much sunlight as possible. The more sun, warmth and dryness he experiences, the more intensively he will concentrate on producing the fragrant essential oils. So pay particular attention to ensuring that its original location conditions are met if you want to attract lots of bees and possibly make something fine out of the flowers.
To remember:
- Crested lavender likes it warm and dry
- needs a lot of sunlight
- The drier, warmer and brighter, the higher concentration of essential oils
Earth
How lavender differs significantly from real lavender is its preferred pH value. In contrast to its counterpart, it requires a planting surface that is low in lime. So the earth should definitely be acidic. Nevertheless, it thrives best in permeable, lean, heather-like soil that has a good proportion of sand. It is recommended to use special cactus or herb soil and loosen it up with sand or clay granules.
To remember:
- Dry, permeable, low-lime (!) soil
- Best mixture of cactus or herb soil and sand
Pouring
Like real lavender, lavender doesn't need a lot of water. It is naturally adapted to long droughts and extreme heat. So only water it moderately so that the soil never remains dripping wet. You should use soft, stagnant water, ideally rainwater, as irrigation water.
Fertilize
The lavender is also frugal when it comes to nutrients. It loves a lean substrate and basically doesn't need to be fertilized at all. After wintering, you may be able to give it a little low-dose, potassium-rich fertilizer or use fertilizer sticks to encourage vigorous sprouting.
In the pot
As a non-hardy species, lavender must be cultivated in pots - at least over the winter. In principle, you can also transplant it outside in the summer after the Ice Saints are over - as long as you can offer it a suitable place and planting ground. You have to move it back into the pot at the latest when the first frost arrives.
A terracotta pot is best suited as a planter for lavender as it is absorbent and promotes a dry ball of soil. The material also underlines the Mediterranean character of the plant.
In the pot, you must pay particular attention to the good permeability of the substrate: If possible, work a coarse drainage layer of expanded clay into the lower part of the sandy soil mixture.
You should repot the lavender in early spring when you take it out of its winter quarters. If necessary, you can thin out the roots a little to promote growth.
The rules for pot culture at a glance:
- Pot culture is a must over the winter
- In the summer after the last risk of frost, lavender can also be planted out
- It's best to use a terracotta planter
- Work a good drainage layer into the substrate
- Repotting in spring when wintering out
Wintering
Like all non-frost-hardy crops, lavender needs a separate wintering phase. Given its northern hemisphere origin, it must be protected from sub-zero temperatures, but still needs a reduction in temperature compared to the summer phase. Of course he is no stranger to winter. The ideal wintering temperature for it is around 5 to 10°C. It should still be bright. A suitable wintering place is a cold house, a window seat in an unheated stairwell or in an attic under a skylight.
The lavender is watered very sparingly in its wintering quarters. Even in summer it needs little water, in winter the amount of watering should be reduced so that the pot ball does not dry out completely.
Overwintering at a glance:
- Keep cool and bright (5-10°C)
- Ideal location: cold house, unheated stairwell by the window
- Watering very little
hardy
There are also conditionally hardy varieties within the Lavandula stoechas species that can also be permanently planted outdoors. However, this is still only recommended in mild regions where winter temperatures rarely fall far below freezing. However, if there are isolated phases with critical temperatures below zero, such a lavender variety can also be protected by covering it with fir branches or jute.
Cutting
You should prune lavender once after the first flowering. For two reasons: firstly, pruning induces a second flower that you and garden insects can enjoy. On the other hand, the shrub is kept compact and dense thanks to regular pruning, which corresponds to its typical habit and ensures a well-groomed impression. In addition, pruning also serves to avoid excessive woodiness and unsightly baldness.
In order to support the compactness even more intensively and also for rejuvenation, you can cut back the lavender a little after wintering. In February or March, when you start to acclimate it to warmer temperatures again, a precise pruning will do it good. This also stimulates vital new growth.
Cutting rules at a glance:
- Regular pruning keeps the shrub nice and compact and prevents woodiness and baldness
- a rejuvenating, sprout-promoting pruning after wintering
- pruning after the first flower to induce a second one
Propagate
Cuttings
The easiest way to propagate crested lavender is through cuttings. To do this, cut young shoots about 10 cm long, remove the lower leafy greens from them and put them in planters with potting soil. You can cover them with foil to ensure they have an even, protected growing climate. The planters must be bright and warm.
Seed cultivation
Growing seeds also promises a fairly high success rate with lavender. You can also harvest the seeds yourself and store them over the winter. From the end of February, at the time of the mother plant's overwintering, place the seeds in seed trays with potting soil and, if so, only cover them very lightly, as these germinate in the light. Place the trays in a bright, warm place and carefully keep the substrate moist. The seeds usually germinate after just one or two weeks.
Diseases
Due to its high content of essential oils, lavender is pleasantly resistant to diseases and pests. The most damaging thing is too much moisture. It can cause the roots to rot and lead to mold growth. If necessary, a fungus can also nest, although this is rarely the case. In this case, remove all diseased parts of the plant as early as possible and use a fungicide.
Edible
Basically, lavender is of course edible. It contains no toxins and is particularly valuable due to its high content of essential oils.
How it becomes edible, however, is another question. Because its rather tough, scratchy plant structure and the very intense, almost strong scent of leaves and flowers do not in themselves make it a delicacy that can be eaten raw. But: It is ideal for flavoring fine dishes. The plant parts are unlikely to be eaten, but it is possible.
Flavoring – sweet and savory
Due to its dry, ethereal spice, lavender is suitable for flavoring both sweet dishes and savory dishes. Lavender sugar is great for adding a floral note to cakes etc., while lavender s alt adds a very interesting note to braised meat dishes. It is also recommended to add a lavender flower to each jar when making homemade jams, such as apricots or peaches.
Oil for gourmets
Last but not least, oil can also be wonderfully refined with flowers and fresh shoots of lavender. It gives wild herb salads in particular a fragrant note.
Tasty healing tea
Dried flowers can also be brewed into an aromatic, floral and healing tea that has a digestive and relaxing effect.
Tip
If you want to plant your lavender in summer, it is best to choose a south-facing slope. Due to its slightly vertical position, the southern plant can soak up even more sunlight. Stones in the immediate bed surroundings also provide the shrub with pleasant radiant heat even after sunset.
Varieties
Butterfly Garden
This variety is characterized by flower panicles in clear, reddish purple and particularly long bracts in light purple. The bracts are so long that they tend to overhang, forming a sweeping tuft. The flowers of the Lavandula stoechas Butterfly Garden appear in July and can be reproduced until October if the spent stems are carefully cut back. They exude a pleasant scent and are a valuable source of nutrients for bees and other insects.
With a height of 40 to 80 centimeters and a width of only 20 to 30 centimeters, the variety shows a very tight, slender growth.
What is particularly special about the Lavandula stoechas Butterfly Garden is its remarkable frost hardiness. In generally mild regions of the country, it can also be cultivated outdoors permanently.
Madrid
The Lavandula stoechas Madrid variety series is available with different flower colors, which is quite special within the lavender species. Because here the color spectrum goes beyond the typical dark, dull purple. With sub-varieties such as Madrid Pink, Madrid White or Madrid Sky Blue, more cool freshness enters the appearance of the lavender: Madrid Pink has panicles in a slightly clearer purple and bracts in a light rosé, Madrid White has a completely white flower. The Madrid Sky Blue is particularly decorative and attractive with its night sky blue panicles and contrasting, fresh white bracts.
The Lavandula stoechas Madrid begin to open flowers around June, and you can promote their new formation by continually cleaning out the spent panicles.
All Spanish lavender varieties have typically silver-green foliage and grow to a height of around 40-60 cm with bushy growth that is around 90 cm wide.
Kew Red
The Lavandula stoechas Kew Red is also very attractive and colorful. As its name suggests, its flower color is reddish. The panicle is a rich, velvety magenta, with the bracts standing out in a delicate white-pink. The pretty structure also exudes a strong, very seductive scent. The refreshing floral splendor appears from July and unfortunately fades away again in August. In terms of height, the Kew Red is somewhat smaller at around 40 to 50 centimeters and, with a narrow width of 30-40 centimeters, also significantly slimmer than many of its conspecifics.
