SCIENTIFIC NAME: Lavandula angustifolia

COMMON NAME: Common lavender

FAMILY: Lamiaceae

TYPE: horticultural annual or short lived perennial in zone 8, perennial farther north

LEAVES: opposite or whorled, oblong-linear or lanceolate, to 2" long, younger leaves clustered in axils, entire margin; gray-green, square stems, evergreen

FLOWER: whorls of 6 - 10 flowers forming loose 3-4" long terminal flower spikes, lavender

SEASON OF BLOOM: summer, plant in fall to establish for following summer

GROWTH HABIT: 2', rounded

SOIL: well drained essential

SUN: full, but suffers in extreme heat and humidity

HARDINESS: zones 5-9

UTILIZATION: rock gardens, containers, cut and dried flowers, used in perfumes and potpourri; performance generally poor in zone 8 and farther south; edging

DISEASES: root rot

INSECTS AND RELATED PESTS: none serious

PROPAGATION: clump division in fall, 3-4" long stem cuttings in the summer or fall, seed

MAINTENANCE: each year, cut back to last year's point of growth