No, not all lavender species are capable of cross-pollinating with each other. While cross-pollination is common within certain groups of lavender, there are genetic barriers that prevent some species from successfully interbreeding.
Here's a breakdown:
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Closely Related Species Can Cross-Pollinate:
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The most well-known example of successful cross-pollination in lavender is between English Lavender (Lavandula angustifolia) and Spike Lavender (Lavandula latifolia). These two species are relatively closely related and naturally hybridize to produce Lavandins (Lavandula x intermedia). Many popular commercial varieties like 'Grosso', 'Provence', and 'Phenomenal' are Lavandins. This hybridization occurs naturally where their native ranges overlap, and is also intentionally done by breeders.
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Other crosses within the same botanical section or closely related sections of the Lavandula genus are also known to occur. For instance, some crosses involving Lavandula dentata (French Lavender) and Lavandula lanata have resulted in hybrids.
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Genetic Barriers Prevent Wider Crosses:
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Different lavender species belong to various botanical sections within the Lavandula genus. While some sections are compatible for hybridization, others are not.
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For example, Spanish Lavender (Lavandula stoechas) is generally not known to readily cross-pollinate with English lavenders or Lavandins. While a bee might visit both, viable seeds from such a cross are highly unlikely due to genetic incompatibility. Spanish lavenders tend to be more distinct genetically.
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You wouldn't expect a lavender plant to cross-pollinate with something completely different like a basil plant, for instance, even though they are both in the Lamiaceae (mint) family. The genetic differences are too vast.
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Why does this matter?
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Breeding New Varieties: Understanding which species can cross-pollinate is crucial for plant breeders who are trying to create new lavender cultivars with desirable traits (e.g., specific essential oil profiles, improved hardiness, unique flower colors).
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Seed Purity: For commercial seed producers, knowing compatibility helps in establishing appropriate isolation distances between fields of different lavender species to prevent unwanted cross-pollination and maintain genetic purity for "true to type" seeds.
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Gardening Expectations: For the average gardener, it means that if you have English lavender and Spanish lavender growing side-by-side, while bees will visit both, you generally don't need to worry about the seeds from your Spanish lavender producing an English-Spanish hybrid, or vice-versa. The most common natural crosses you'll encounter are the Lavandins.
So, while cross-pollination is a significant factor in lavender genetics and is responsible for many popular hybrids, it's not a free-for-all across all 39+ species of lavender.
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