Lavender may look like a single plant to the untrained eye, but gardeners know there’s a whole world of variety behind that signature purple bloom. In Part 2 of our Lavender Blog Series – From Root to Bloom, we’ll break down the most popular types of lavender, their growing preferences, and which ones are best suited for your climate and garden goals.

Whether you’re planning a pollinator haven, fragrant border, or a basket full of dried bundles, choosing the right lavender is the first step.

💜 The 4 Main Types of Lavender

Not all lavender is created equal. These four core types each have their strengths—and choosing the right one can make the difference between a thriving patch and constant struggle.

1. English Lavender (Lavandula angustifolia)

• Best for: Cooler climates, culinary use, container growing
• Bloom Time: Early summer (often a second flush in fall)
• Fragrance: Classic and sweet; ideal for oils and sachets
• Flower Description: Slim flower spikes with dense clusters of violet-blue blossoms
• Size: 18–24″ tall
• Cold Hardy: Yes (zones 5–9)

🌿 Master Gardener Tip: English lavender is your best bet for edible applications like teas, cookies, or infused honey. Look for varieties like ‘Hidcote’ or ‘Munstead’ for rich color and strong scent.

2. French Lavender (Lavandula dentata)

• Best for: Warm, mild winters; ornamental borders
• Bloom Time: Spring through summer
• Fragrance: Light and piney; less sweet than English
• Flower Description: Soft, serrated foliage with slender flower spikes and fuzzy purple blooms
• Size: 24–36″ tall
• Cold Hardy: No (zones 8–11)

With its frilly petals and compact growth, French lavender thrives where winters are short and frost is rare. A good choice for containers you can bring indoors.

3. Spanish Lavender (Lavandula stoechas)

• Best for: Warm climates, bold visual impact
• Bloom Time: Spring with a possible fall rebloom
• Fragrance: Strong and somewhat medicinal
• Flower Description: Distinctive “rabbit ear” bracts on top of fat, pinecone-like blooms
• Size: 12–24″ tall
• Cold Hardy: Borderline (zones 7–10)

This is the one with the “bunny ears”—those cute petal tufts on top of the flower spikes. It makes a statement in pots and beds, and is a favorite of early-season pollinators.

4. Lavandin (Lavandula × intermedia)

• Best for: Dried bundles, oil production, mass plantings
• Bloom Time: Mid- to late summer
• Fragrance: Strong and camphorous
• Flower Description: Long, elegant flower spikes on tall stems; more loosely arranged than English
• Size: Up to 3 feet tall and wide
• Cold Hardy: Moderately (zones 6–9)

Lavandin is a hybrid between English and Portuguese lavender, bred for productivity and size. Great for bouquets, crafts, and large-scale lavender farms.

How to Tell Lavender Varieties Apart

Telling lavender varieties apart starts with observing a few key traits: the shape of the flower, the look of the leaves, and the size and scent of the plant. English lavender has narrow gray-green leaves and compact flower spikes with sweet, soothing fragrance—perfect for culinary use. French lavender has soft, toothed (or serrated) leaves and looser, lighter blooms, often blooming nearly year-round in mild climates. Spanish lavender is the most recognizable thanks to its “rabbit ear” bracts—petal-like tufts that sit atop fat, pinecone-shaped blooms. Lavandin, a hybrid, stands out for its tall size, long stems, and strong, camphor-like scent; its blooms appear later in the season and are ideal for dried arrangements. Noting these differences in flower form, foliage texture, and fragrance can help you quickly distinguish which type of lavender you’re looking at in the garden or nursery.

🪴 How to Choose the Right Lavender for Your Garden

Ask yourself these key questions:

• What’s your USDA Zone?
  Cold winters? Stick with English or Lavandin.
  Warm and dry? Try Spanish or French.
• What are you growing lavender for?
  Culinary? Choose English.
  Decoration and pollinators? Spanish or French.
  Dried bundles and oils? Lavandin.
• How much space do you have?
  Smaller spaces and containers do well with compact varieties like ‘Thumbelina Leigh’ or Spanish lavender.

🌸 Bonus: Lavender Companion Plants

Lavender thrives alongside rosemary, thyme, sage, and other drought-tolerant herbs and flowers. Avoid pairing with water-loving plants like basil or ferns.

🐝 Master Gardener Tip

All types of lavender attract pollinators, but Spanish and Lavandin varieties tend to draw the most bees thanks to their large, showy flower heads and extended bloom times. If you’re building a bee-friendly garden, mix types to keep blooms going from spring to fall.

Coming Up Next

In Part 3 of the Lavender Blog Series – From Root to Bloom, we’ll dig into the secrets to growing lavender successfully—from soil prep to spacing and watering strategies.