LAVENDER SPANISH Lavandula stoechas

Characteristics  Type: Herb  Sun: Full sun  Native Range: Mediterranean  Water: Low  Zone: 8 to 11  Maintenance: Low  Height: 1.50 to 3.00 feet  Flower: Showy  Spread: 1.50 to 2.00 feet  Attracts: Bees, Butterflies  Bloom Time: Spring  Leaf: Fragrant  Bloom Description: purple or pink  Tolerate: Deer Culture Find a spot with full sun for your Spanish lavender plants or consider growing them in containers. Make sure the soil is light and drains well. Your Spanish lavender will not need a lot of water and will tolerate droughts well. Growing Spanish lavender is a great choice for hot and dry climates, but it also works for containers that can be brought indoors. In addition to adding a lovely fragrance to your beds or home, this lavender will also attract pollinators to your garden. Spanish lavender blooms profusely in the spring and when it finishes it needs a good pruning. The result will be an attractive, fragrant, gray-green shrub throughout the rest of the year

Noteworthy Characteristics Spanish lavender, or Lavendula stoechas, is just one of about 40 varieties of this fragrant herb. It is native to the hot, dry climate of the Mediterranean region, and so it thrives in warmer climates and is hardy to zone 8. Growing Spanish lavender is a good alternative to the more common English lavender if you live in a warmer climate. They have the same silvery-green leaves, but one unique characteristic is how it flowers. The top of each flowering stem grows larger, upright bracts that resemble rabbit ears. Flowers may be purple or pink, depending on the cultivar.

Problems

Usually free of insect problems, although it might attract spittle bugs, named for the frothy secretions that betray their presence. Although they can be unattractive, spittle bugs cause little or no harm to the plant.

Garden Uses

In appearance, Spanish lavender is similar to other varieties, growing in small shrubs that make great low hedges or bed borders. These plants take well to pots. Frequent uses are dried flowers, ornamentals, essential oils for soaps and aromatherapy.