When attempting to identify different lavender varieties that are being grown indoors, you'll find the range of possibilities is generally narrower than for outdoor gardens. Indoor conditions, particularly light availability, humidity, and space, limit which lavenders truly thrive. Therefore, identification focuses on the specific traits of the most common indoor varieties.
Here's how to identify different lavender varieties typically grown indoors:
1. Focus on the Most Common Indoor Types: The vast majority of lavenders successfully grown indoors belong to one of two main groups: dwarf English Lavenders or certain types of French Lavender.
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English Lavender (Lavandula angustifolia) - specifically dwarf cultivars:
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Foliage: The leaves are usually narrow, elongated (often 2-3 inches), and have smooth, untoothed edges. They typically appear in shades of grayish-green, sometimes with a subtle silvery cast.
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Flowers: Flower spikes are generally short and plump, appearing on relatively short stems. The individual florets are densely packed along the spike. Important for identification: there are no large, prominent, petal-like "bunny ears" (bracts) at the top of the flower head. Colors range from various purples to pinks and whites.
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Fragrance: When you gently rub a leaf or a flower, you'll detect a distinctly sweet, clean, purely floral, and subtle herbaceous aroma. This is the classic "true lavender" scent, with very little or no sharp camphor smell.
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Growth Habit (Indoors): These tend to be compact, mounding plants that stay relatively small (typically 10-24 inches tall and wide, depending on the cultivar and pot size).
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Common Indoor Cultivars:
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'Thumbelina Leigh': Look for a very small plant (around 10-12 inches) with compact, plump flower heads. Its dwarf size is a key identifier.
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'Munstead': A popular outdoor variety, but indoors, it will be a compact, mounding plant with classic violet-blue flowers, typically larger than 'Thumbelina Leigh' but still manageable for a good-sized pot.
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'Hidcote': Similar to 'Munstead' but often has deeper purple flowers and a very dense, neat growth habit.
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'Lavenite Petite': Another very compact variety with strong fragrance and a tidy form.
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French Lavender (Lavandula dentata):
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Foliage: The most distinctive feature is its leaves. They are visibly toothed or serrated along the edges (the term "dentata" means "toothed"). The leaves are usually green to grayish-green and often longer than those of English lavender.
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Flowers: The flower spikes are slender and typically topped with small, delicate, somewhat wispy bracts. These bracts are not large and prominent like the "bunny ears" of Spanish lavender. The individual flowers are usually violet or purple.
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Fragrance: When you rub the foliage or flowers, you'll notice a strong, herbaceous, slightly rosemary-like or camphoraceous scent. It's less sweet and purely floral than English lavender.
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Growth Habit (Indoors): Can be a larger, more shrubby plant than English lavenders. Indoors, it can be kept smaller with regular pruning, forming a bushier shape.
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Common Indoor Cultivars:
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'Goodwin Creek Grey': This is the most common French lavender grown indoors. Look for its distinctive toothed, silvery-grey foliage and its ability to bloom for very long periods, even indoors if conditions are right.
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2. Traits to Look For (and Why They're Important Indoors):
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Leaf Edge: This is a crucial distinguishing feature. Smooth edges indicate English lavender; finely toothed edges point to French lavender.
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Presence/Absence of Prominent Bracts ("Ears"): The lack of large "bunny ear" bracts helps rule out Spanish lavender, which generally doesn't thrive indoors long-term due to its specific light and humidity needs, and its preference for dry heat.
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Scent Profile: The primary difference between English and French lavender indoors will be their scent. English is sweet and floral; French is more herbaceous and slightly camphoraceous. If the plant smells strongly of camphor or pine, it's likely not an English variety and might be a less suitable indoor choice.
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Plant Size and Density: Indoor varieties are typically selected for their more compact growth. If you see a very large, sprawling lavender indoors, it might be a young lavandin or an outdoor variety struggling due to lack of space or light, rather than a popular indoor choice.
3. What You're Less Likely to See (and Why):
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Spanish Lavender (Lavandula stoechas): While beautiful, their specific need for high light and very dry air, combined with less cold hardiness, makes them generally poor long-term indoor plants. Their distinctive "bunny ear" flowers are usually absent indoors as well.
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Lavandins (Lavandula x intermedia): These hybrids ('Grosso', 'Provence', 'Dutch') grow very large (often 3-4 feet tall and wide) and require immense amounts of direct sunlight and airflow. They are almost never successfully grown indoors as permanent houseplants due to their size and high light demands. Their long, robust flower spikes are also distinctive.
By carefully observing leaf characteristics, flower appearance (especially bracts), and performing a scent test, you can effectively identify the different lavender varieties commonly found and successfully grown indoors.