Spanish Lavender Blooming On the Coast

Spanish lavender is always the first lavender to bloom in my garden. I love this variety called Lavandula stoechas for its flower heads topped with a tuft of large purple, petal-like bracts. It’s brighter in color than the English and French lavender and shows up from a distance as more of an intense purple than lavender. More color makes up for its less than intense fragrance. At least in my opinion. Spanish lavender will bloom for a month or two, then I’ll cut it back and it will bloom again, giving me color up to three times from spring to fall.

All lavender are native to the eastern Pyrenees, throughout Spain and into Portugal. The Spanish lavender is not used as a culinary herb nor is it used in potpourri and sachet, but it’s delightful in the garden. Lavender grow best in full sun and are drought tolerant. They can be grown in small containers or clustered among other ornamentals. With even the most conscientious of pruning, the lavender plant will look good for about 3-4 years then become woody and need to be replaced, like many native and short-lived perennials.