It has beautiful flowers which are a variety color mix of white, purple, pink and are well populated on the shrubs. Lavandula angustifolia 'Thumbelina Leigh'. Emily has been gardening for over 20 years and has been involved in the herbalism community for just as long. Alba Nana English Lavender (Lavandula Angustifolia Alba Nana), 4. In this article we will be looking at the differences between lavender and lilac. The Calluna Vulgaris is a recognized beauty. 'Pastor's Pride', 'Vera' , and 'Royal Velvet' are all known to re-bloom when trimmed in mid-summer, which makes any one a fine choice for a knot garden. English lavenders ( Lavandula angustifolia) and French lavenders ( Lavandula stoechas) are two species of the same plant. The Spike lavender (Lavandula Spica) yields a coarser oil (oil of spike), used in the arts. Portuguese Lavender (Lavandula latifolia), 17. It's also popularly known as the Scottish Heather. The Calluna type can be found in the wilderness in Europe, North America, and Southern Asia. Heather plants belong to the family Ericaceae, and they are perennial plants having evergreen foliage and flowering between April to August. There are some distinct differences between English and Spanish lavender, one being their looks and another being their uses. The plant's foliage changes throughout the season. Its worth mentioning that when we refer to the heather, we can actually mean two different plants, the heather and the heath, and while they are part of the same plant family, Ericaceae, they are different plants entirely. Any of a group of European plants, genus, Lavandula, of the mint family. Russian sage plants are typically larger than lavender plants. On arrival, unpack them straight away and stand them in water until the compost is moist. What's Cooking America - Lavender - Culinary Lavender, University of California Division of Agriculture and Natural Resources: Lavenders for California Gardens, Santa Cruz Sentinel: Lavender Not Just for Soap Anymore. Violet vs. lilac: lilac is a light shade of violet, whereas violet is too dark. A very decorative cultivar that adapts well to city and courtyard gardens as well as patios or containers, and which looks less naturalized and more garden center and urban than other lavandin varieties, Hidcote Giant won the Award of Harden Merit if the Royal Horticultural Society in 2002. Lavandula (common name lavender) is a genus of 47 known species of flowering plants in the mint family, Lamiaceae.It is native to the Old World and is found in Cape Verde and the Canary Islands, and from Europe across to northern and eastern Africa, the Mediterranean, southwest Asia to India.. Missouri Botanical Garden: Lavandula Angustifolia, Monrovia: Lavandula Angustifolia 'Thumbelina Leigh', Missouri Botanical Garden: Lavandula Angustifolia 'Munstead', How to clean a showerhead, according to an expert, Where & How to Plant Lavender as a Ground Cover. Top 8 Coconut Coir Uses in The Garden + Best Brands, How to Propagate Ruby Cascade (3 Best Methods), Top 13 Species of Plants With Spiky Leaves (+ Their Photos), What Plants Have Red Stems? They look very pointy and rebellious, unlike the larger ones of classical French lavenderSo, if you fancy a lavender plant that says, I am different, in a subtle way, the small purple spikes with unruly looking magenta ears on top may be what you have been looking for.Its originality must be why this variety won the Award of Garden Merit of the Royal Horticultural society in 2002. This makes them perfect for pots, as it will take them a significantly longer time to outgrow their containers, unlike other plants. Thanks for stopping by! It yields and oil used in medicine and perfumery. Excellent for all types of informal gardens (including city, courtyard and gravel gardens), Hidcote lavender will also look and smell great in pots and containers. Lavender heather is a symbol of loneliness in addition to being a symbol of isolation. I have two varieties of lavender and I think one could be Grosso and the other some kind of English but I am still unsure. The flowers are more of a lilac colour and the shape of the flowers are longer, coming to a narrow point at the end. Im hooked now? To get the best out of this plant, it needs to be in a sunny position, and the roots need somewhere where they can spread, as compacted roots can hamper this plants growth. Lavender is a Mediterranean evergreen shrub, grown for its fragrant leaves and bee-friendly flowers. Bright lavender, Medium lavender magenta, Lavender pink and lavender magenta. Here are some other important differences: Hardiness. Tender young thyme stalks are thin especially early in the growing season. Propagation and Pruning Heath and heather are propagated by seed and cuttings. I stumbled on your page because Im trying to identify the particular type of lavender plant that I have in my home. But the Eileen porter is unique from other Heather plants as it can tolerate slightly alkaline soils. Youll also see Spanish lavender, which like French lavender has a softer scent and is used more for landscaping than for producing the scented oil. Do not use lawn fertilizers near heath and heather which may kill the plant by over-fertilizing with nitrogen. Which of the types of lavender are good for human consumption, most web sites dont tell you that. Lavender leaves have a light floral flavor with subtle notes of wood and fruit. It can be a light color or a darker color. One of the shorter heath plants on this list, Isabelle gets to a maximum height of 5 inches, but has the advantage of blooming from November until May with petite white flowers, making a great backdrop against the bright green leaves. You can do this with your spade or use a pitchfork if you want to eliminate too much extra dirt coming up with the roots. This variety of English lavender has noble origins when it comes to gardening, actually, royalty, as it was introduced in 1916 by Gertrude Jekill! Typically English Lavender essential oil contains between 0%-0.6% camphor, whereas Lavandin oil contains between 6%-10% camphor. Alexandra is a type of heather that needs acidic soil in order to grow well. Lavender is native to the Mediterranean region. To control the plant's size and to promote new growth, every three years, in the spring, prune it back to eight inches. Main Difference. At the end of the day, choosing the right lavender depends entirely upon your preference. Spring is a good time to do any pruning of heath before the plant sets its flower buds or has new growth. Find more gardening information on Gardening Know How: Keep up to date with all that's happening in and around the garden. In winter, the firefly cultivar of Calluna Vulgaris turns brick red. Alexa Jaffurs created the rusty metal obelisks as a local artist. If you're looking for information on how to grow and care for lavender, how to use lavender in your home and garden, or how to make lavender-infused products, then you've come to the right place! These hybrids are generally planted for ornamental use in gardens and commercially for use in cosmetics. A heath plant that likes direct sunlight, John Kampa is useful if you have a lot of empty space that needs to be filled, as they reproduce very easily, but they dont get very tall. Like many plant genera, the heather is particularly difficult to classify, there are many types, subtypes, and varieties which can get mixed up. Little Lottie English Lavender (Lavandula Angustifolia Little Lottie), 8. The size of these plants depends on the species, but many specimens grow up to 4 feet tall and spread. They share some similarities making it difficult to differentiate between both types of plants. WordNet 3.0 Lavender Noun An aromatic plant of the genus Lavandula (Lavandula vera), common in the south of Europe. Often, the hardest part of growing lavenders is deciding which type of lavender is best suited for your climate and available growing space. Lavender (Lavandula) and heather (Calluna) are two of the easiest plants to grow, depending on your location and climate zone. It is one of the most common types of lavender also because it is more hardy than other species, and this is why it is called English, not because it is original of the British Isles, but because it can grow there.English lavender has some important characteristics: Once called Lavandula officinalis (a typical name given to plants used in medicine), there are many varieties of English lavender that have become very common. The plant itself can grow up to 10 inches tall. It has long lasting blooms of dark purple flowers that have an unmistakable and very strong scent. Lavendula sputchetta or Spanish or spike lavender, as well as lavender flowers, should be grown as annuals in northern garden zones such as Ontario. The difference between lavender and lilac is that lavender is a purple-colored flower with a tinge of blue color. Despite its many names, it is one species only.It is a type of lavender that comes from the Mediterranean, known for its scent and aromatic properties, but if you grow it, keep it separate from English lavender (Lavandula angustifolia). They have the classical lavender look, without longer petals at the top. Pink Spangle looks a little similar to Wintersonne, but the flowers are a much lighter pink. However, both lavender and lilac have similar color shades and similar petals. English, French or Spanish, Portuguese or lavandin, lavender is a special plant. For example, English lavender is slightly more compact than other species and rarely exceeds 30 inches in height. Replant the heather where it was growing if it was performing well. When kept outdoors, lavenders thrive in full sunlight and should be grown in well-drained soil these plants do not do well in areas that are particularly wet or dry. 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