What are some unusual or rare lavender varieties and their traits?

While 'English' and 'Lavandin' varieties dominate the lavender world, especially for commercial purposes and cold climates, there are several lesser-known or unique lavender species and hybrids that offer distinct characteristics in terms of foliage, flower appearance, and scent. These are often sought after by collectors or gardeners looking for something unusual.

Here are some unusual or rare lavender varieties and their traits:

1. Green Lavender (Lavandula viridis)

• Unique Feature: As its name suggests, this species is unique for its green (or yellowish-green) foliage and flowers. Unlike the typical silvery-gray leaves and purple blooms of most lavenders, L. viridis stands out.

• Appearance: It forms a bushy shrub, typically 2-3 feet tall. The flower spikes are relatively compact, featuring lime-green or yellowish-green true flowers, often topped with pale green bracts.

• Scent: The fragrance is quite distinctive – often described as lemony, piney, or even slightly resinous, with definite camphor notes, differentiating it significantly from traditional lavender scents. Its essential oil profile is notably different, containing compounds like verbenone and cineole, but very little linalool or linalyl acetate.

• Hardiness: It is less cold-hardy, generally suitable for USDA Zones 8-11, making it a tender perennial in most northern climates. It thrives in warm, sunny conditions.

• Uses: Primarily ornamental, used for its unusual color and unique aroma. It can be used in aromatherapy for its uplifting, stimulating properties, and sometimes in blends for its fresh, green notes.

2. Woolly Lavender (Lavandula lanata)

• Unique Feature: This species is renowned for its exceptionally soft, silvery-white, and densely woolly foliage. The "lanata" in its name means "woolly," a very apt description. The fuzziness is more pronounced than in most other silver-leaved lavenders, giving it a striking texture and visual appeal.

• Appearance: Forms a compact, rounded shrub, usually 2-3 feet tall and wide. The deep violet-purple flowers are borne on narrow spikes that stand out beautifully against the striking white foliage.

• Scent: Despite its appearance, it has a strong, classic lavender fragrance, often described as sweet and pleasant, with a good balance of linalool and linalyl acetate, similar to L. angustifolia but perhaps with a slightly richer, more herbaceous depth.

• Hardiness: It's moderately hardy, typically USDA Zones 7-9, and prefers very dry, arid conditions. Its woolly leaves are an adaptation to reduce water loss, but it dislikes high humidity and wet winter soil, which can lead to fungal issues and rot.

• Uses: Highly ornamental due to its striking foliage color and texture. It's excellent for xeriscaping, rock gardens, or as a contrasting plant in mixed borders. It's one of the parent plants of the 'Goodwin Creek Gray' hybrid.

3. Fernleaf Lavender (Lavandula pinnata)

• Unique Feature: As its common name suggests, L. pinnata has finely divided, fern-like, or deeply pinnately lobed foliage, a significant departure from the linear or toothed leaves of other species. This gives the plant a delicate, airy appearance.

• Appearance: It's a bushy, spreading evergreen shrub, growing up to 3 feet tall. The flowers are typically lilac-blue or blue-purple, produced on unbranched spikes, and it can be a heavy bloomer. Some varieties might have a slightly winged stem.

• Scent: The foliage is highly aromatic, with a sweet lavender scent, often noted as being quite pleasant and less camphoraceous than L. dentata or L. stoechas. It contains good levels of linalool.

• Hardiness: This species is tender, typically suitable for USDA Zones 9-11, making it a good choice for frost-free or mild winter climates, or as a container plant that can be brought indoors in colder regions.

• Uses: Primarily grown for its unique ornamental foliage, which adds texture and elegance to a garden. It can be used for sachets or potpourri due to its pleasing fragrance.

4. (Lavandula x chaytorae) Hybrids (e.g., 'Richard Gray', 'Andreas')

• Unique Feature: This is a hybrid cross between Lavandula angustifolia (English Lavender) and Lavandula lanata (Woolly Lavender). The goal was to combine the cold hardiness and good fragrance of English lavender with the striking silvery, woolly foliage of L. lanata.

• Appearance: These hybrids typically feature very dense, silvery-white to gray, velvety foliage, often even more pronounced than 'Goodwin Creek Gray'. They form compact to medium-sized mounds, usually 2-3 feet tall and wide. Flowers are usually deep violet-purple, on relatively long stems.

• Scent: They tend to have a pleasing, sweet lavender fragrance that is a good balance between their parents, often closer to the L. angustifolia side but with the aromatic contribution of the foliage.

• Hardiness: Generally hardier than L. lanata, often reaching USDA Zones 6 or 7-10, making them a more viable option for slightly colder climates than Woolly Lavender itself.

• Uses: Excellent ornamental plants, providing year-round silver interest and beautiful flower spikes. They are particularly effective in contrast plantings and rock gardens.

These unusual varieties offer exciting options for gardeners looking to diversify beyond the typical purple lavenders, bringing different textures, colors, and aromatic nuances to the landscape. While some may require specific climate conditions (like the warmth favored by L. viridis or L. pinnata), others like L. x chaytorae hybrids or even 'Goodwin Creek Gray' (a L. dentata x L. lanata cross) offer a unique blend of traits that might surprise those familiar only with traditional English lavender or common lavandins found on a typical lavender farm or when you buy lavender online.