Navigating the world of lavender can be a delightful sensory experience, but it's also easy to get confused by the similar names and diverse appearances. While "French lavender" can sometimes refer to Lavandin (Lavandula x intermedia), its most distinct visual difference is when it refers to Lavandula stoechas. For clarity, we'll focus on differentiating Lavandula angustifolia (English Lavender) from Lavandula stoechas (Spanish/French Lavender) and also highlight key visual cues for Lavandin (Lavandula x intermedia). This knowledge will serve you well whether you're strolling through a lavender farm or looking to buy lavender online from islandlavender.com.
Here's how to visually distinguish between them:
1. English Lavender (Lavandula angustifolia)
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Flowers: The classic lavender flower. English lavender produces slender, elongated flower spikes. The individual flowers are small and tightly packed, forming a dense "candle" or "bottle brush" shape. There are typically no prominent "ears" or bracts at the top of the flower spike. The colors range from deep purples and blues to pinks and whites, but always in that characteristic spike formation.
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Leaves: The foliage is typically narrow, smooth-edged, and a muted green to silvery-gray-green. When you rub the leaves, they release a sweet, herbaceous, and less camphoraceous scent.
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Plant Habit: English lavender varieties tend to form compact, rounded mounds, ranging from 1 to 3 feet tall and wide, depending on the cultivar. They have a generally tidy appearance.
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Bloom Time: Generally blooms from late spring to mid-summer.
2. Spanish/French Lavender (Lavandula stoechas)
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Flowers: This is the most distinctive visual characteristic. Spanish lavender produces short, stout, pinecone-shaped flower heads, topped with prominent, petal-like bracts that resemble "bunny ears," "butterfly wings," or "flags." These bracts are often a different color than the main flower head, sometimes brighter purple, pink, or even white. The actual flowers on the pinecone-shaped part are very small and less noticeable than the bracts.
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Leaves: The leaves are generally greener than English lavender, often a grayish-green, and can be slightly broader. They are typically smooth-edged, not serrated.
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Plant Habit: Tends to grow into a more upright, bushy form, often reaching 1 to 2 feet tall.
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Bloom Time: Known for its long blooming period, often starting earlier in spring and continuing intermittently through summer and into fall in warmer climates.
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Scent: The foliage and flowers of Spanish lavender often have a stronger, more resinous, or eucalyptus-like scent, often described as more camphoraceous than English lavender.
3. Lavandin (Lavandula x intermedia) (Often called "French Lavender" in a broader sense)
While Lavandula stoechas is the most distinctly visually different "French Lavender," Lavandula x intermedia (Lavandin) is also often referred to as French lavender, particularly in regions like Provence, where it's widely grown. Here's how to tell it apart from English lavender:
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Flowers: Lavandin flowers are similar in shape to English lavender (long spikes), but they are generally much larger and longer than English lavender spikes. The flower stems are also typically longer and more robust, holding the blooms higher above the foliage.
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Leaves: Lavandin leaves are generally longer and wider than English lavender leaves, often appearing more substantial and sometimes with a slightly coarser texture. They are typically gray-green.
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Plant Habit: Lavandins are much larger plants than English lavenders, forming broad, vigorous mounds, often reaching 2 to 4 feet tall and wide or even larger. They are often described as having a "hedge-like" appearance.
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Scent: The fragrance of lavandin is typically stronger and more camphoraceous than English lavender, though still pleasant.
When you're at a lavender farm in Door County WI, for example, you'll likely see both English lavender for its classic appeal and potentially some lavandin for its impressive size and yield. If you're looking to buy lavender online from islandlavender.com, pay close attention to the botanical name (Lavandula angustifolia, Lavandula stoechas, or Lavandula x intermedia) and the detailed descriptions of the plant's appearance to ensure you get the specific type of lavender you desire.