Q&A: Lavender

Q: Many kinds of lavender are available. How can I choose between them?

A: Although there are many types of lavender, it's important to remember that all of them need full sun and soil that allows sufficient drainage.

• Lavandula angustifolia 'Hidcote', Zones 5-8. This popular cultivar has a lovely fragrance, and its flowers maintain their color when dried.

• Lavandula angustifolia 'Munstead', Zones 5-8. Like 'Hidcote', 'Munstead' has a delightful scent.

• Spanish lavender (Lavandula stoechas subsp. pedunculata), Zones 8-9. Spanish lavender is an ideal choice for a landscaping plant and features unique "rabbit ears" atop the flowers.

• Lavandula x intermedia 'Provence', Zones 8-9. This variety is a standard ingredient for many French perfumes.

• Lavandula pinnata, Zones 9-10. This species makes a great landscaping plant and has distinctive tips that resemble swords.

--Kathleen Brenzel, Sunset Magazine

Guests
Kathleen Brenzel
Senior Editor, Sunset Magazine
80 Willow Rd.
Menlo Park, CA 94025-3591
Phone: 650-321-3600
Toll-free: 800-227-7346
Fax: 650-327-7537
Website: www.sunsetmagazine.com
Also in this Episode

Grow It! : Episode GRW-407
•	Spotlight Garden: Enchanted California Painter's Garden
•	Planting an Herb Garden
•	Gardening Q & A: Selecting Roses With Beautiful Foliage
•	Q&A: Lavender
•	Q&A: Seeds
•	Shady Groundcover
•	Jeff's Journal