Lavender is famously known to be grown in gardens and even indoors. But, if you want to grow the best lavender possible, you need to know which type of plant will work best per location. This list covers 23 different popular varieties of lavender among gardeners and crafters.
Egyptian Lavender or Egyptian Grass (Citronella)
This perennial shrub produces purple flowers that appear in summer. It’s a short plant that grows to about 2 feet tall and has thick, green leaves. Egyptian Lavender is best for borders, beds, and rock gardens, as it does not do well in heavy shade.
Russian Lavender
Russian lavender is a hardy perennial with long stems and deep violet-blue flowers. It’s native to the Caucasus region of southern Russia, Georgia, Azerbaijan, and Armenia.
This variety has long been used for medicinal purposes. It’s thought to have healing properties. I also reduce stress, relieve anxiety, and improve sleep.
Greek Lavender
Greek Lavender is a shrubby plant with narrow, grey-green leaves and violet flowers. It is native to southern and central Europe, the Middle East, and North Africa.
Greek lavender is also known as wild lavender, English lavender, and common lavender.
Italian Lavender or Tuscan Lavender
Italian Lavender is native to Italy and the Mediterranean. This beautiful plant is from the genus Lavandula family. Its scent is gentle but fragrant.
Italian lavender has traditionally been used in cooking, particularly with fish dishes. It also has medicinal properties. It can help treat skin conditions like acne or psoriasis. It also relieves muscle pain caused by injuries or arthritis.
Fern leaf lavender
Fernleaf lavender is a variety of English lavender well known for its fern-like leaves. The plants have multiple stems, with small leaves and flowers at the top. Fernleaf lavender is a hybrid between English lavender and spike lavender.
English lavender
English Lavender is grown for its essential oil. It’s also grown as an ornamental plant because of its fragrant smell—and it looks good too! It’s a hardy, woody stem and prefers full sun to partial shade. It has green leaves and violet flowers reaching 2 inches across.
This plant blooms from June to September. English lavender has many uses in cooking and medicine too.
Lavandin
Lavandin is used for perfumes and soaps because of its unique smell. It has been described as sweet but earthy at the same time. Lavandin is a hybrid between lilac-scented lavender and spike lavender. It has a stronger scent than true lavender but is still not as strong as the spike.
The Lantana of Africa and the Mediterranean (Lavandula lanata)
The Latin name for this type of lavender is Lavandula lanata. It is also known as Spanish lavender and is native to the Mediterranean.
This variety of lavender has a pleasing scent with hints of citrus and mint. It makes an excellent addition to sachets, potpourri, hand soap, or laundry detergent.
The Lavandula Genus
Lavandula is part of the Lamiaceae family, including mints and other herbs. The genus includes about 40 species and is native to the Mediterranean region. “lavender” originated from the word “lavare,” which means “to wash.”
French Lavender
French lavender is a cross between English and Spanish lavender. It has a strong scent, which makes it popular with perfumers and aromatherapists. You can buy French lavender essential oil and use it to make your perfume or massage oil. You can also use its flowers to make potpourri.
Arnica Montana
Arnica Montana is also known as leopard’s-bane and mountain tobacco. It’s an herbaceous perennial plant belonging to the Asteraceae family. It is a tall plant with yellow flowers that grows well on dry or rocky soils at relatively high altitudes. It is native to Europe and has been introduced globally due to its use in herbal medicine and skin care.
Spanish Lavender
Spanish Lavender is a hardy plant that can grow over 6 feet tall. It’s also known as lavandin, a hybrid of lavender and spike lavender. Spanish lavender is one of the most fragrant varieties of plants. But beware because you’ll need to be careful when using it in cooking. Using too much of it can overpower your dish with its fragrance.
Woolly Lavender
Woolly lavender is a hybrid of French and English lavender. It’s a hardy plant resistant to drought to flourish in full sun or partial shade.
Woolly lavender can grow up to 3 feet tall, so keep that in mind when planning your garden space. Consider deadheading your woolly lavender to ensure the health of your blooms.
Topped Lavender
Topped Lavenders are plants grown for their essential oil. Their essential oil has antiseptic and anti-inflammatory properties. The topped lavender is a lavender with a purple flower. It is a hybrid between English and French lavender, both native to France.
‘Melissa Lilac’ or ‘Grosso’ lavender
‘Melissa Lilac’ (also known as ‘Grosso’) is a cross between English and French lavender. It has a strong fragrance and is drought-tolerant.
Melissa Lilac lavender will grow up to 2 feet tall by 2 feet wide if planted in the ground. It is hardy in zones 5–9, but it will not survive cold winters without some protection.
‘Gros Bleu’ or ‘Alba’ lavender
Gros Bleu is a French lavender. It has a strong, spicy aroma, and its flowers are blue and white. This variety can be used for cooking or to make essential oils.
‘Goodwin Creek Grey’ or ‘Anouk’ lavender
Goodwin Creek Grey, or Anouk, is a fragrant lavender that grows in zones 5-8. It’s hardy, drought-tolerant, and evergreen. This flower attracts butterflies!
‘Folgate’ or ‘Grobbiana’ lavender
‘Folgate’ or ‘Grobbiana’ lavender is a hybrid between Lavandula angustifolia and Lavandula latifolia. It has narrow, grey-green leaves and produces fragrant flowers in late summer. This variety is best used for container gardening as it doesn’t grow very tall (12 inches).
‘Phenomenal’ Lavender
Phenomenal lavender is a wonderful addition to any garden. Phenomenal has deep purplish-blue flowers with an almost black center. It bursts in late summer and continues through to early autumn. This variety is great for hedging or as a specimen plant.
Dwarf Or Creeping Lavenders
The dwarf varieties grow slower and smaller than their counterparts. But they make excellent ground cover. With their small size, they’re perfect for small areas and large landscaping projects. They can be grown in containers and make great edging plants.
Elephant Hedge or Lavatera Clementine Rose Mallow Lavatera trimestris
Elephant hedge, also known as lavatera trimestris and lavatera cambricoides. It is a versatile perennial with white-pink flowers known for their strong fragrance. This beautiful shrub grows best in full sun to partial shade. It will thrive anywhere from well-drained soil to sandy areas with poor drainage.
The Edelweiss of Provence (Lavandula multifida)
The Edelweiss of Provence is a lavender native to the Mediterranean region. It’s a hardy plant that can grow in various climates, including hot summers and cool winters. It’s ideal for those who want or need to grow lavenders outside their home country’s borders.
The plant grows up to 6 feet tall with very fragrant flowers. It can also be used for culinary purposes as well as medicinal purposes. The purple petals also make this herb very appealing for cosmetic use.
Portuguese Lavender (Lavandula latifolia)
Portuguese Lavender is a shrubby plant that grows wild in Portugal. It has a strong smell and is used in perfumes, cosmetics, and medicine. The plant is also used for cooking purposes, such as flavoring oils or as an ingredient in sauces.
Conclusion
There are many other types of lavender, including French Lavendula intermedia, Italian Lavendula officinalis, and Provence Lavendula x intermedia, which look similar but have larger leaves than common English Lavender. These plants require different growing conditions, so make sure before purchasing any plant based on where they will be kept!
