Lovely Lavender

Several years ago, my Mom came out to visit from the Midwest.  While showing her all of the usual tourist sights like Portland Saturday Market, Multnomah Falls, and Mt. Hood, we came upon a lavender farm at the peak of its blooming season. Visiting a lavender farm as a recreational activity had never really occurred to me, but being a good son I was happy to play along . If you have never seen a lavender farm in full bloom you really should. It’s a feast for the senses that has to be experienced. The sea of purple flowers dazzles the eyes, while the hum of thousands of honeybees hovering in the breeze has to be heard to be believed. Of course, the scent of hundreds of lavender plants warming in the sun is the real treat.

You don’t have to visit a lavender farm to experience the magic of lavender. Our climate here in the Northwest is well suited to growing your own, and while a hundred acres of lavender is quite impressive, one or two plants can provide you with many of the powerful benefits in your garden at home.

Lavender is actually easy to grow. A sunny spot with well drained soil is about the only requirement. Lavender is native to the Mediterranean and therefore likes dry summers and a somewhat wetter spring, and it is adapted to poor rocky soils. Lavenders are deer resistant, not prone to diseases and have few insect pests. They tolerate drought, don’t require much (if any) fertilizer and generally thrive on neglect. They prefer alkaline soils but will tolerate slightly acidic soils as well. You can add a little lime to your soil if you’re in doubt.

The most difficult part of growing lavender in the Northwest just might be choosing which variety to plant. Lavender varieties typically available are divided into three categories (although botanists make a living by arguing about and renaming the divisions to add confusion for the rest of us).

English lavender, Lavandula angustifolia is what most people consider ‘true lavender’. It has the most essential oils in its flowers and is the type used for perfumes. It is the most cold hardy of the lavenders up to USDA zone 5, or minus 20 degrees F. It blooms in early to mid summer usually around June.  Common varieties are ‘Hidcote Superior’ and ‘Munstead’.

Spanish lavender, Lavandula stoechas is less hardy, USDA zone 7 or 0 degrees F. It is not used as perfume, but more as a landscape plant. It is better adapted to warm climates and tolerates summer humidity better than the other varieties. Spanish lavenders tend to bloom earlier as well. ‘Otto Quast’ is one of the more common Spanish varieties.

Lavandin, Lavandula intermedia is the name given to hybrids of L. angustifolia and L. latifolia. They are considered by connoisseurs to be of inferior quality to the English lavender for their oil but they produce more of it, and therefore the most common source for lavender oil. They are almost as hardy as the English lavenders, USDA zone 6, or minus 10 degrees F, and grow more vigorously. Common varieties include ‘Grosso’ and  ‘Provence’.

Caring for lavender doesn’t require much effort. Don’t crowd them, they like good air flow. Don’t overwater them or their roots will rot. Prune them back about one third in the early spring as you see new growth to keep them from getting gangly.

Lavender flowers can be harvested and dried. They retain their color and scent for a very long time. Harvest flowers when the buds begin to open, about the time your nose starts to notice them. Harvest should be done late in the morning after the dew is gone but before it becomes hot. Tie in bundles and hang in a dry dark place for a few days until the stems become slightly brittle.

The uses for lavender flowers are numerous even if some are slightly far fetched. They are used for their fragrance in perfumes and potpourris. The fragrance is said to alleviate headaches, fatigue, and depression and even act as an aphrodisiac. The flowers flavor teas, ice cream and even salad dressing. The oil has even been used as an anti-bacterial, to soothe burns, repel insects, and even in shampoos and soap.

Even if you’re not planning to make perfume or potpourris, lavender is a terrific plant for your garden or landscape. They add a wonderful fragrance to the air, are a beauty to behold and are quite easy to grow. 

Plus, they are one of my Mom’s favorites.