If you’re looking for the characteristic lavender smell, choose English lavender. It produces the strong scent that permeates the air, while French lavender has a much lighter scent, which while nice, is more reminiscent of rosemary.
What type of lavender is most fragrant?
Lavandin
The most fragrant Lavender plants are the Lavandin (Lavandula x intermedia). Several cultivars of English Lavender (Lavandula angustifolia) are also prized for their delightful scent. Lavandula x intermedia, also called Lavandin, is a hybrid cross between Lavandula angustifolia and Lavandula latifolia.
Which smells better English or French lavender?
English lavender is typically the most appealing variety when it comes to scent and is similar to rosemary. French lavender has a stronger fragrance with more pine notes, making it a popular choice for cleaning and home products. No smell is “better” than the other, it is largely based on individual preference.
Does French lavender smell good?
The French Lavender plants are bigger plants (producing more lavender per plant). Aroma is sweet with slightly camphorous scent. The French Lavender scent is used more for its aromatic properties and considered good in cleaning products and products designed to freshen your home.
Which type of lavender is best?
Best Fragrant Lavender For Drying & Preserving
‘Provence’ is a lavandin, or hybrid lavender type, which are known for a high output of essential oils. It’s no surprise that ‘Provence’ is the lavender most frequently grown for use in scented products, including soaps, lotions, sachets, potpourri, and more.
How do you make lavender smell stronger?
To increase the fragrance of your lavender you should ensure that lavender is planted in soil that replicates their natural environment. Avoid planting lavender in rich organic soils that have lots of fertility as this will be to the detriment of the smell of your lavender.
Which lavender flower lasts the longest?
A: Two of the longest blooming kinds of lavender are Lavandula angustifolia ‘Irene Doyle’ and the hybrid L. ‘Goodwin Creek Grey. ‘ The best way to have lavender blooming all summer is to plant several different kinds that bloom sequentially.
Which is easier to grow English or French lavender?
A big difference between French and English lavender is that the latter is much hardier. French lavender is only hardy through about zone 8 and won’t tolerate cold winters. Size. French lavender is large and will grow from about 2 to 3 feet (61-91 cm.)
Which lavender is best for essential oil?
Lavandula angustifolia
True Lavender (Lavandula angustifolia) is the best variety to use for healing and aromatherapy, as the hybrid oils are much higher in camphor, and are more stimulating than calming.
Should I prune French lavender?
Pruning and caring for French lavender
At the end of winter, prune as you wish, but follow the rounded shape of the plant. Avoid cutting off old growth, because those branches rarely send out new shoots. Favor pruning only on young, tender shoots rather than old, hard wood.
Can you deadhead French lavender?
Deadhead French lavender regularly throughout the summer. This prolongs the flowering and creates new growth the following April/May.
What does English lavender attract?
Lavender is Good for Bees (and other pollinators)
If you’ve ever been around when lavender is blooming, you know how well it attracts bees! The place we lived in last summer had a lavender hedge, and it would be literally swarming with both honeybees and bumblebees.
Is French lavender fast growing?
Cover “Provence Blue” seeds only lightly with soil when planting. Seeds may take two weeks or more to germinate and several months to reach transplantable size, or about 3 inches tall. Once transplanted into the garden, lavender grows several inches per year, flowering in the second or third year after transplant.
What is the most popular lavender to grow?
English lavender
The most widely grown lavender species in North America, English lavender is most commonly used in cooking and baking. The plant’s oils are often used in perfumes, and its flowers and foliage are popular in sachets and potpourri. It grows best in sandy soil that isn’t too rich in nutrients.
Which is the easiest lavender to grow?
English lavenders are the easiest lavenders to grow, with varieties such as ‘Munstead’ and ‘Hidcote’ regarded as the easiest and most versatile lavender varieties as they require minimal maintenance and can survive in both hot and cold climates.
Which lavender is the hardiest?
The English lavender species (Lavandula angustifolia) are the most hardy of all lavender species, able to tolerate winter frosts, snow, wind and deer and rabbit resistance. English lavenders are hardy to zone 5 and can be grown in a temperate climate.
How can I smell like lavender all day?
Add 10 to 20 drops of an essential oil to your wash. Use a laundry booster, like a scoop of borax or baking soda dissolved in the wash water. Hang dried lavender in your closet or make sachets for your drawers. Put cotton balls or tissue paper sprayed with your favorite scent in your drawers.
How do I make my house smell good with lavender?
“If you sprinkle lavender on your carpet or couch before vacuuming, it will be a beautiful lavender air freshener,” Lorraine adds. “If you sprinkle lavender oil on furniture, under cushions, or on carpets, it will rid your home of that doggy smell.
Do you dry lavender leaves or flowers?
So, the best time to cut the flowers for drying is when the buds are bright purple, and right before they open. You can still dry the flowers after they open, but they won’t be as fragrant, and may lose their color after. Learn exactly when and how to harvest lavender here.
What is the best lavender to plant in the garden?
Great lavenders to grow
- Lavandula angustifolia ‘Lady Anne’
- Lavandula angustifolia ‘Lullaby Blue’
- Lavandula stoechas ‘Willow Vale’
- Lavandula stoechas ‘Fathead’
- Lavandula x intermedia ‘Edelweiss’
- Lavandula x intermedia ‘Gros Bleu’
- Lavandula x intermedia ‘Grosso’
- Lavandula x christiana.
How do you keep English lavender blooming?
How Increase Lavender Blooms (7 Methods)
- Full sun- Most Important Factor for Increasing Blooms.
- Prune in the Spring to Stimulate Blooms.
- Low to Medium Fertility Soil and … Avoid Fertilizer to Increase blooms.
- Water Infrequently.
- Use a White Mulch.
- Deadhead the Blooms Regularly.
Elvira Bowen is a food expert who has dedicated her life to understanding the science of cooking. She has worked in some of the world’s most prestigious kitchens, and has published several cookbooks that have become bestsellers. Elvira is known for her creative approach to cuisine, and her passion for teaching others about the culinary arts.