Lavender: varieties and types, top 20 with descriptions and characteristics + photos
Those who do not have an amazing flower - lavender - on their site, cottage, should think about purchasing it. This is not only a beautiful, fragrant flower, but also a storehouse of useful properties. It is used for brewing tea, in cosmetology, aromatherapy, traditional, folk medicine. Varieties of garden lavender can be selected for your region. A wide range of colors will not leave you indifferent.
Features of the plant
Among perennial flowers, gardeners and landscape designers prefer lavender. Height, depending on the variety, ranges from 10 to 100 centimeters. Shoots branching, erect.In some specimens, the trunk is lignified below. The stem ends with spike-shaped inflorescences of various tones: from blue to dark purple. There is a lavender with a white, yellow color. The flowers are two-lipped, emit a bright aroma.
Flowering lasts 30-40 days. The fruits fall off after ripening. Flowers are used in folk, traditional medicine, due to the presence of essential oil in the composition.
In the northern regions, many varieties do not withstand harsh winters, so they are grown as annuals. Plants are propagated by seeds and cuttings. Some varieties bloom in the first year after sowing. Lavender loves sunny places, earth with a neutral reaction.
Varieties of lavender
More than 30 types of lavender grow in nature. And only some of them are cultivated.
Narrow-leaved
The narrow-leaved lavender bushes (Lavandula angustifolia Mill.) stand out for their large dimensions - 100 x 100 centimeters. The numbers determine the width and length of the shoots.
The root is pivotal. The stem is branched, lignified below. Leaves - 2-6 centimeters, narrow, drooping, green. Flowering begins in June, purple-pink color. If the inflorescences are not cut, lavender reproduces by self-sowing.
Toothed
In the wild, jagged lavender grows in the Atlantic Islands. A chic semi-shrub spreads 1.5 meters wide. Shoots grow up to one meter. At the end of the stem sit large flowers in the form of an ear, purple in color, with a blue tint.
The flowering period is the second decade of July. A heat-loving plant in the northern latitudes is grown at home. Leaves - 4 centimeters long, serrated.
Royal Gardeners of Great Britain awarded the variety with the Garden Merit award for its excellent external performance, bright aroma.
Broadleaf
Derivative of many varieties is broad-leaved lavender. Life expectancy - 10 years. To extend the life, gardeners cut the shoots after flowering, then in the fall. The lignified and green part is left on the stem. Such a measure prevents the death of the plant.
Inflorescences of different colors: blue, lavender, purple. Pleases with flowering, aroma in the last month of spring.
English
Narrow-leaved, she is also an English variety. A plant lives on the same soil for 20 years. Winter-hardy variety, prefers sunny areas, raised beds. The stems of the English variety are with a white edge, so from the side the bushes appear bluish-gray. It is found in the wild in the Kuban, perfectly takes root in flowerpots.
Munstead
Munstead's derivative is narrow-leaved lavender. The variety is very popular in the southern regions of Russia, Ukraine.
Compact shrub 40x40 centimeters, with bright green leaves. Inflorescences rise above the stem, like blue candles. The flower cannot be overlooked due to the contrast of shades. The delicate aroma of flowers, leaves gives charm to the plant and gives out its location.
The plant is drought tolerant, but not for long. In dry summers, moderate watering is required. Does not tolerate acidic soil. Flowering occurs in July-August.
Hidcat
The Hidcote blue bush is low - 60 centimeters, but spreading is almost twice as large. Therefore, they are often used in landscape design.
Life expectancy and permanent flowering - 25 years. Shoots strongly branched, lignified below. The flowers are large, blue-violet. Hidkot Blue pleases with flowering, pleasant aroma all summer long. This is the second reason for using shrubs to decorate paths, flower beds.
Multi-cut
The heat-loving variety of multi-cut does not tolerate frost, is grown as an annual plant in the Middle lane. In the process of growing it is unpretentious. It blooms in the first year after sowing seeds, throughout the summer. Until late autumn. Inflorescences are collected in a spikelet, have a blue-violet color. The bush looks compact at a height of 60 centimeters.
Southern
Yuzhanka variety created by domestic breeders. The bush is compact - 60 centimeters in length and width. The leaves are narrow, deep green. Against their background, purple inflorescences stand out. The variety develops well in open ground. To grow a flower at home, you need to stratify.
Stahadskaya
A surprisingly beautiful variety - Stehadskaya.Large inflorescences of different shades sit on long bracts: white, green, cherry, lilac, purple. The decorativeness of the plant allows you to diversify the design of the room, garden, flower beds. Flowers appear in May and continue to delight until July. They rest for a month and re-enter the flowering phase.
French
Broad-leaved, also French, variety. Does not tolerate cold winters below -15 degrees. In cold regions, it has established itself as a pot culture.
Munstead
Munstead flower is a plant with a compact bush. Blooms lavender, lilac color. In the open ground is not afraid of winds. A popular variety in Europe.
Delight
Sort Delight created by domestic breeders. Loves sunny areas. It has frost resistance, drought resistance. Cut flowers are used for home decor. In winter, the scent of dried flowers repels moths.
Butterfly
The Butterfly variety grows in a compact bush. Height - 60 centimeters. Inflorescences of different colors: blue, lilac, dark purple.
Purple mist
Variety Lilac mist of miniature size. The height varies from 18 to 20 centimeters, the crown girth is 30. During flowering, sprawling, the height of the bush doubles. The plant is frost-resistant, tolerates frost without shelter, is not attacked by pests.
This variety loves sunny areas, soil with neutral acidity. Inflorescences of a lilac shade with a pleasant aroma. Excellent honey plants. Used for making tea, in aromatherapy.
Elegance
Elegance semi-shrub differs among its counterparts in resistance to frost. In the northern regions, if there are snowy winters, shelter is not required. In snowless areas they cover with spruce branches.Plants 35-40 centimeters tall look great in flower beds, for the foreground with dwarf trees, tall flowers.
Stem - woody at the bottom. Life expectancy - 10 years. The buds are large, with a delicate specific aroma. The color is purple. Blossom in the year of sowing.
Which variety is better to choose?
In regions with a hot climate, heat-loving varieties take root perfectly: Toothed, Broadleaf, Multi-cut, Manstead.
Winter-hardy varieties are planted in the Middle lane: Narrow-leaved, Lilac fog, Elegance. Among domestic species suitable: Yuzhanka, Delight.
Application in landscape design
Compact lavender bushes adorn garden plots, flower beds. Landscape designers use all types of lavender.
- For a hedge, Hidhot, Southerner is suitable.
- The paths are framed with multi-cut lavender, it blooms until late autumn.
- Miniature varieties: Manstead, Elegance - used for the foreground.
The original decision of designers when they use lavender of different varieties, but with one tone, and vice versa.
Lavender looks great in rockeries, alpine slides, on terraces, balconies.
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