Lavender: planting and care in open ground, types and varieties. The genus Lavandula and its most famous representatives Lavender interlude

Lavender is one of my favorite flowers. We have a lot of different lavenders in our garden. There is the French broadleaf, which blooms here in the south of England almost all year round. Lots of narrow-leaved lavender different varieties and shades of lilac - they have the most subtle, refined aroma. There was heat-loving Spanish lavender. Here I will tell you about a huge lavandin (hybrid lavender) bush that has been growing on our patio for many years. Over the years of its life, this lavender bush reached an enormous size and brought a bucket of flowers every year, so there was enough for everyone - relatives, friends, and us. What is so special about lavandin and why do some people think it is inferior to lavender? Read and see photos of hybrid lavender flowers from my garden

All about lavender on the COUNTRY LIFE website:

Lavender sideshow, or lavandin ( Lavandula × intermedia, lavandin) - a natural sterile hybrid of angustifolia lavender and broadleaf lavender ( L. angustifolia subsp. angustifolia × L. latifolia).

I grew this lavender by layering from another huge bush that we inherited from the old owners of the house (see). Lavandin is sterile, which means it does not reproduce by seeds. By searching the Internet, I determined that our hybrid lavender belongs to the so-called. Dutch group. I'm still not sure what variety it is. Based on the photos and descriptions, it could be lavenderDutch Mill or lavender Fragrant Memories . The flowers of the Dutch group lavender are quite light, initially light purple, by the end of flowering they fade to almost gray. Hybrid lavender leaves are silvery. The flowers are borne on very long stalks, making lavandin perfect for both fresh and dried bouquets. The entire bush of this lavender is very fragrant - both flowers, leaves and even, it seems, wood. When I come home from the garden after pruning the lavender, my husband always remarks: 'You pruned the lavender.' After all, just by touching the branches and flowers of lavender, your skin, hair, and clothes - everything smells like lavender.

Do you know how to distinguish lavender angustifolia from its similar lavandin? Lavandin is a larger plant. Lavandin blooms later than angustifolia lavender. On the stems of lavandin there can be not one, but 3 spikelets of inflorescences. Lavandin essential oil contains 7% more camphor, so its smell is stronger, stronger and even ‘medicinal’ than the smell of lavender angustifolia oil. Lavandin oil is a stronger antiseptic than lavender angustifolia oil. Lavandin flowers and leaves contain much more essential oil than angustifolia lavender flowers and leaves. This explains the lower cost of its production and lower price.

Why did we cut down this beautiful hybrid lavender bush, you are probably wondering? Because it had grown excessively and occupied about 2 square meters. meters on the patio, blocking the access to the water supply. Also because lavender bushes generally age quickly, because lavender does not live long. By properly pruning lavender plants (in the green, but very close to the woody part of the bush) you can extend the life of the bush by several years. Our bush was already 7 years old and half of its height was occupied by woody brown branches without greenery.

Instead of uprooting the lavandin bush, I'm going to buy another variety with darker flowers. I'm currently considering lavenders ‘Grosso’ ( Grosso ), 'Sil' ( Seal) or Impress Purple ( Impress Purple) . Lavender ‘Grosso’- a variety of French selection from 1972 purple flowers. For now lavender ‘Grosso’- the most popular variety in industrial cultivation for the preparation of lavandin oil (hybrid lavender essential oil). Lavender ‘Seal’ is an old garden favorite (breeding 1930) with bright blue-lilac flowers. All these varieties are tall.

Hybrid lavender, lavandin (Lavandula x intermedia, lavandin) is a valuable aromatic plant and source of essential oil.

If you are also thinking of getting hybrid lavender, pay attention to the new varieties - they are more compact than the old lavender varieties. This lavandin from the groupHeavenly(Heavenly Night, Heavenly Scent and Heavenly Angel), as well as the Olympia variety with dark purple flowers. All listed varieties are of English selection ( Downderry) and compact - 55-60 cm high and approx. 70 cm wide.

By the way, gardening catalogs classify hybrid lavender (lavandin) in terms of winter hardiness and cold resistance. This means that lavandin will probably grow in the Moscow region and spend the winter with shelter. Do you grow lavandin and in what regions? Tell the readers of our site about it!

For more information on how to grow lavender (planting, care and pruning) and how to use lavender oil, read the links above.

Lavender is an essential oil crop in the form of an evergreen shrub with characteristic spike-shaped inflorescences and narrow gray-green leaves. Its flowers can have a traditional lilac color of various shades, as well as white, pink or blue. This plant has a distinct odor, which, along with nectar, is very attractive to butterflies and bees. In addition to valuable honey-bearing qualities, lavender is also characterized by such properties as unpretentiousness, drought resistance and unattractiveness to pests. Growing this shrub in sunny and warm regions is not difficult; in colder areas, growing lavender is possible either in pots at home or in the garden, but subject to certain care rules. Average duration The life of a plant in natural conditions is about 10 years.

Types of lavender

Lavandula belongs to the genus Lamiaceae, which has about 45 species and about 7 hybrids. The natural habitat of this shrub is India, Arabia, southern Europe, eastern and northern Africa, and the Canary Islands.

In garden culture, the following types are considered the most popular:

Lavándula angustifólia, known as Lavender true, English, spikelet, angustifolia. This shrub reaches 1 m in height and width, with the exception of dwarf varieties that grow no higher than 30 cm. Flowering time is June-July.

The most popular varieties are Alba (white), BeechwoodBlue (lilac blue), Rosea (pink), Gem (dark purple), Hidcote (dark purple), MelissaLilac (lilac grandiflora), Munstead (lilac blue), NanaAlba (white dwarf), LittleLottie (pale pink dwarf) and others.

Lavanludalatifolia, or broadleaf lavender. Distinctive features This species is considered to have a stronger aroma, as well as carrying on the stem not one, like angustifolia lavender, but three inflorescences.

Lavanluda intermedia Emeric (Dutch Lavender, or hybrid, or Lavandin) is a natural hybrid of the two species described above. It is less cold-resistant, which is why it is most popular in the gardens of southern and central Europe. It is a large plant, reaching a height and width of up to 2 m, having large and long inflorescences and curved peduncles. The flowering time of this plant occurs a little later than that of angustifolia lavender - in July.

Particularly popular varieties are: Alba (white), Grosso (lilac-purple with large flowers), Sawyers (light purple), ArabianNight (blue, dark purple) and RichardGray (compact dark purple).

Lavanluda pedunculata, or petiolate lavender, is a decorative look of this plant with unusual flowers and a strong smell. The peduncles of the shrub are usually no more than 50 cm, and the flowers have a bright purple color. The variety is widespread in Spain, Portugal, Turkey and Morocco; in Russia it is usually grown in pots.

Lavanluda stoechas, known as Lavandula stoechas, can reach between 30 and 100 cm in size. This type It blooms earlier than all the others - March - June, and at the end of summer the second phase of flowering may begin.

Lavanluda dentata, or jagged lavender, is a compact subshrub with large flowers and soft, rugged, silver-colored leaves. Due to the fact that this type of lavender is quite heat-loving, it is grown mainly indoors in pots.

Propagation of crops using stem layering

This propagation method is considered the simplest: one of the branches of the bush is laid horizontally, completely covered with soil, and a load is placed on top. It usually takes several months for the cuttings to take root and be able to grow on their own.

After the root ball has formed, the cuttings must be carefully cut off with a sharp knife and the cut area sprinkled with crushed coal, thereby protecting the plant from rotting processes.

Reproduction is also possible by rooting individual, for example broken, branches or one-year woody cuttings: they should be deepened 2-3 cm into loose soil, covered with a film, not forgetting to regularly moisten the soil. As a rule, the cutting takes root quickly enough, after which it can be safely transplanted to the chosen location.

Growing lavender from seeds

Before planting, the seeds must be hardened and stratified. They should be kept in the lower compartment of the refrigerator for a month, then mixed with river sand and, systematically moistened, kept in this form for another month.

The seeds should be planted together with sand, covering the top with a not very thick layer of soil.

When planting seeds, you need to be prepared that you will have to wait about one or two years for flowering, since in the first seasons the plant will devote all its energy to growing the root system.

Place for planting in open ground

When planting a plant in a garden or flower bed, it is recommended to choose areas that have good access sunlight. Lavender can also take root in the shade, but in this case you should not expect long and abundant flowering.

Special attention You should pay attention to the level of soil moisture, since the roots of the plant are very sensitive to excess moisture. Wetlands and areas where groundwater flows too high are not suitable for planting crops. If there is no possibility of choosing a drier place, then drainage layers can be used.

The level of acidity and soil structure is another point to which lavender is very sensitive. In this regard, before planting the plant, it is recommended to add a little lime or wood ash to the soil, and regular use of compost will not only saturate the soil with nutrients, but also ensure the porosity of the structure.

Broad-leaved lavender is considered the most hardy and unpretentious, which can tolerate even slightly acidic soils and partial shade. When planting a narrow-leaved variety in the garden, you should be wary not so much of frost as of excess moisture and damping off.

Lavender care

The crop responds best to potassium fertilizers, while nitrogen fertilizing and manure are less desirable, since, while promoting the growth of abundant green mass, they negatively affect flowering.

The plant should be watered as the soil dries out, since excessive moisture can lead to rotting of the rhizome, and a lack of moisture can lead to less luxurious flowering.

Regular hilling and mulching of the shrub - in spring and autumn - plays a big role in the formation of new green shoots on the old trunk. In turn, systematic pruning can extend the life of the plant. Minor pruning is necessary immediately after flowering, but significant shortening of the stems should be done at the end of the season, leaving 4-5 new green shoots.

Gray rot is considered especially dangerous for lavender, which, together with the affected part of the plant, should be removed and burned. In addition, gray rot is a place for the deposition of pentilia larvae, which in themselves do not harm the crop, but spoil its appearance with white foam, which represents protection from predators. You can get rid of foam, which looks like saliva, on the plant by washing it off with a stream of water.

Lavender, which will have to spend the winter on open ground in regions where the air temperature can drop below 25 degrees, it is necessary to provide reliable insulation. In order to protect the crop from severe frosts, it is enough to trim the bushes at the end of the season and cover them with branches of coniferous trees. The layer of foliage, which is traditionally used to protect plants during the cold season, is not suitable for lavender, which can simply rot under it.

Features of planting lavender at home

Since the most demanding species of this plant are usually grown in pots, you should remember to the following conditions for planting and caring for them:

The container for planting should have a volume of 1.5-2 liters and a diameter of about 30 cm;
To ensure good drainage, place pebbles, shards, gravel, shells, etc. in the bottom of the pot or container, ensuring that the drainage holes remain open;
Lavender's need for alkaline soil can be satisfied by using a mixture of sand and peat with the addition of a small amount of crushed eggshells;
The room temperature should not fall below 15 0 C;
It is necessary to ensure that the plant receives sufficient sunlight; if this condition is not possible, it is recommended to use fluorescent lamp;
Lavender should be watered with water at room temperature, previously settled, and it is necessary to moisten not only the soil, but also the green parts of the plant;
In winter, the plant should be watered rarely; in addition, it is recommended to keep it in a cool place, away from heating devices– this will have a positive effect on its flowering;
At the end of summer, it is necessary to completely remove dry stems and lightly trim the bush.

The young plant should be transplanted into a new pot in early spring, after the dormant period has ended. If necessary, you can replant lavender in early autumn, most importantly, after flowering ends and before the dormant period begins.

Applications and properties of lavender

This plant can be used as decorative borders, as well as a background plant in flower beds and gardens. Due to the fact that the lavender aroma is extremely unpleasant for the Colorado potato beetle and codling moth, this shrub can be successfully used as an excellent insecticide in vegetable gardens, especially between root crops.

Growing aromatic plants (video)

Dried lavender branches and inflorescences are often used for interior decoration, as well as for aromatizing rooms. This plant, especially its essential oil, has found its place in perfumery, cosmetology, aromatherapy, medicine, Food Industry and cooking.

In the article we discuss lavender - planting and care in open ground, popular varieties, pests and diseases, propagation methods. You will learn how to plant lavender by seed, cuttings and dividing the plant, how to properly water, prune and fertilize the bushes, as well as how to care for lavender in winter.

There are many varieties of lavender to grow in your garden.

Lavender is an evergreen shrub of the Lamiaceae family with a fibrous woody root up to 2 m long. In the lower part of the plant there are a large number of lignified shoots up to 60 cm high. Silvery-greenish leaves with soft pubescence grow along the shoots. Fragrant blue-lilac flowers are collected in spike-shaped inflorescences of 6-10 pieces.

There are more than 25 types of lavender - varieties and species differ from each other in thermophilicity, shoot height, color scheme inflorescences and flowering period.

English lavender (Lavandula angustifolia)- bushes up to 50 cm high with narrow leaves and small inflorescences. Blooms in June and July. Counts the best variety for growing lavender in the Urals - planting and care are quite simple. Winter-hardy, withstands frosts down to -35°C. The varieties that are most in demand in horticultural culture are:

Alba - white inflorescences;
Rosea - lilac-pink inflorescences;
Munstead - bright blue inflorescences.

Broadleaf or French lavender (Lavandula stoechas)- bushes with inflorescences of various shades, from purple and emerald to pink and white. It blooms in April and May, sometimes at the end of summer. The most popular varieties:

Yellow Vale - dark purple inflorescences and yellow-green leaves;
Rocky Road - large purple-blue inflorescences;
Helmsdale - lilac-burgundy inflorescences.

Hybrid or Dutch lavender (Lavandula x intermedia)- large plants up to 2 m high with oblong flowers. Blooms in July. Used for growing on an industrial scale. The most commonly used in gardening are:

Alba - white inflorescences;
Sawyers - light purple inflorescences;
Arabian Knight - dark purple or dark blue inflorescences;
Richard Gray - dark purple inflorescences.

Toothed lavender (Lavandula dentata)- bushes with embossed silver leaves. Blooms in July. One of the most heat-loving species, grown only indoors. A popular variety is Royal Crown with purple inflorescences.

Planting lavender in open ground

Lavender can be planted in open ground with seeds and seedlings.

To ensure that lavender blooms profusely, choose the right planting location in open ground:

the area should be well lit;
avoid areas with too wet soil, otherwise make a drainage layer near the roots of the plant at the bottom of the planting hole;
If the soil on your site is acidic or slightly acidic, add lime or wood ash to the holes for planting seeds.

When to plant lavender in open ground:

seeds directly into the ground - at the end of autumn;
seedlings - at the end of May.

Lavender seedlings

Before planting lavender seeds for seedlings, prepare a container and soil mixture. Mix 2 parts humus and 1 part river sand. Sift the mixture until all lumps disappear and place in the oven at 130ºC. Pour the treated soil onto a drainage layer in a container for growing lavender.

In February - March, scatter the seeds over the surface of the soil mixture, sprinkle with sand 3 mm thick, moisten with water and cover with plastic wrap. Place the container with the seedlings in a well-lit place with a temperature of 15-22ºC. Raise the cover periodically to ventilate the crops. When the first shoots appear, remove the covering and plant the shoots at a distance of 5 cm.

How to plant lavender in the ground in spring

At the end of May, prepare the area for planting. Dig the soil to a depth of 20 cm and loosen the soil well. Apply compost or peat under digging.

How to plant lavender:

Dig holes every 80-90 cm. The depth of each hole should be such that root system the bush fit freely into the recess.
Trim the roots of the seedlings.
Plant each bush in a hole and bury it.
Water all seedlings thoroughly.

Pre-winter sowing of lavender in autumn

Sowing lavender seeds in open ground is effective only in warm climates. If you have mild winters in your area, follow these rules:

In October, prepare the soil on the site - add peat under digging and add sand or fine gravel if the soil is too wet.
Sow the seeds to a depth of 3-4 cm.
Compact the soil after sowing.
In dry weather, water the seeds, but not too much.
At the beginning of winter, cover the area with snow.

Lavender care

With the seed propagation method, lavender begins to bloom in the 2nd or 3rd year. To quickly see the long-awaited lavender flowers, plant and care for the plant taking into account the characteristics of its cultivation.

Growing conditions

Lavender roots need good air circulation, so make a mulch layer on the bed in the form of rotted leaves. Do not cover the soil at the base of the trunk with anything, so as not to cause the plant to rot. Mulch (compost) will gradually decompose and saturate the soil with nutrients.

When growing lavender in open ground, regularly get rid of weeds - pests, especially in the first year, when the seedlings are just forming.

When the first flowers appear on the stems of the plant, remove them so that the lavender root system can get stronger and develop normally.

Watering and fertilizers

Water the lavender as the soil at the base of the bush dries out. Do not be overzealous, because from abundant watering the above-ground part of the plant turns yellow and the roots rot. But don't do it too rarely. Due to lack of moisture, lavender flowering will not be lush, and the aroma will become less bright and rich.

If you do not use compost to mulch the soil around lavender, growing and caring for your garden should include fertilizers:

mineral complexes - in summer at the beginning of flowering;
nitrogen fertilizers- in the spring at the beginning of the growing season.

Dilute the fertilizer in a concentration of 2 tbsp. into a bucket of water and water the soil around the perimeter of the bushes with the resulting solution.

Trimming

Caring for lavender includes pruning the plant

Prune the plant every year:

In the first year of planting, at the end of flowering, cut the shoots by 2-3 cm.
At the beginning of autumn, shorten the branches by 3-3.5 cm. Make sure that the cutting level is 5-6 cm higher than the lignified part of the stem.
In subsequent years, trim the lavender branches to the shape of the bush each fall.
At the age of 10 years, do anti-aging pruning - shorten the branches to 5 cm.

Pruning your lavender bushes is optional, but caring for your lavender in your garden this way will help you create beautiful, lush bushes.

Lavender propagation

Lavender is propagated by seed, layering, dividing the bush and cuttings.

If you are going to grow lavender in the Urals, only the seed method is suitable for you. In cold climates, the following scheme for growing lavender is used: planting and care in open ground in the Urals is carried out after mandatory seed stratification, that is, hardening. The bag of seeds is placed in the refrigerator and then in April the seed is sown directly into open ground.

In warmer climates, lavender is propagated in other ways.

When propagating by cuttings, pick a one-year-old woody shoot from an existing lavender bush. Cut it into cuttings of 8-10 cm and plant in moist soil. Bury the bottom cut 2-3 cm into the ground and cover the top with glass jars. When the cuttings take root, remove the jars.

When propagating by division, cut the bush at a height of 10 cm in the fall and do hilling - fill the space between the shoots with earth. In the spring, repeat the hilling and wait until the lavender produces abundant growth. At the beginning of autumn, dig up a bush, divide it into parts and plant it.

When propagating by layering in the spring, bend 2-3 shoots from the plant and carefully place them in grooves to a depth of 3-4 cm. Secure the shoots, cover them with soil and water them abundantly so that the shoots form lateral roots. Next spring, separate the shoots with roots from the bush, divide them into parts and replant them in a permanent place.

For more information about planting lavender, watch the video:

Care after flowering in winter

Before caring for lavender, keep in mind that the plant needs reliable protection from frost. If you are growing lavender in an area with temperatures below -25ºC during the winter months, begin winterizing the bushes after autumn pruning. Cover the plant with branches of coniferous trees, but in no case with fallen leaves. Under the foliage, lavender may rot.

Pests and diseases

Lavender in open ground is highly resistant to pests and diseases. However, the plant sometimes affects:

slobbering pennies;
rainbow beetle (cycad);
gray rot.

To rid the plant of beetles, collect them by hand, and when fighting pennies, wash off the white foam with a strong stream of water. In both cases, change the compost in the beds.

If the bushes are sick with gray rot, remove and burn the damaged parts of the plant, otherwise the infection will spread to other stems, flowers and leaves. Also reconsider the watering regime for lavender flowers - planting and care in this case were clearly carried out with violations. Either you watered the bushes too often, or did not protect the plant from waterlogging during the wet, rainy summer.

What to remember

The most popular varieties of lavender in gardening are English narrow-leaved, French broad-leaved, hybrid Dutch and scalloped.
At seed propagation Lavender plants first grow seedlings, and then in April young shoots are planted in open ground.
In the Urals, before sowing seeds in the ground, they are hardened in the refrigerator.
Caring for lavender includes regular but not abundant watering, the use of mineral and nitrogen fertilizers and autumn pruning.
Before the start of winter, cover the lavender bushes with the paws of coniferous trees.

Many people have probably seen landscapes with purple fields shown on television or the Internet. Small flowering plants create a real violet or lilac sea that will take your breath away. This plant is lavender. And immediately with it comes an association with France and perfumery, with a girl running along the fields with this beautiful plant. No wonder, lavender is widely used not only in landscape design, but is also used in cooking and in creating perfume aromas. In this article we will look at the most popular type of lavender in our territory - angustifolia or English lavender. Let us characterize its features, the main varieties, and consider the agricultural technology of cultivation.

Features and description of angustifolia lavender

Lavender is a perennial evergreen shrub that belongs to the Lamiaceae family and has about 20 species. The homeland of this plant is considered to be the southern part of Europe, the Canary Islands, North and East Africa, Arabia and India. This is lavender's natural habitat where it grows wild. This plant began to be used in Ancient Rome and Greece. In our time, lavender began to be cultivated in France in the 18th century. Today, cultivated species of lavender are grown all over the world.

Lavender has several main types. The most common plant in Russia is angustifolia lavender, since only this plant has the required level of cold resistance.

Description of lavender angustifolia:

Lavender angustifolia is also an evergreen perennial shrub.
It is the most frost-resistant and unpretentious type of lavender, therefore it is widely cultivated in our country. Alternatively, it can even be grown in a tub or pot and taken indoors for the winter. This is a very valuable feature for gardeners, because in the spring it is enough to transplant it into the garden and admire its beauty throughout the season.
This type of lavender has several names, which are often classified as specific subspecies of angustifolia lavender. This is English lavender, true lavender, spicata lavender (Lavandula officinalis = Lavandula spicata = Lavandula angustifolia).
Lavender angustifolia does not have a central stem, but consists of numerous shoots, the number of which can reach 400.
The English lavender shrub can be short, medium or tall. Height varies from 30 cm to 1 meter.
The root system of the plant is superficial, lying close to the surface. It is dense and woody, very branched.
The leaves of this type of lavender are bright green, elongated and narrow, their edges are slightly bent. Hence the name “narrow-leaved”.
The shoots of the plant are slightly pubescent, so the bush itself appears bluish.
The inflorescence of angustifolia lavender has the shape of a spikelet, which consists of false whorls. Flowers have Blue colour with slight shades of violet and lilac. Thanks to the development of a large number of varieties, other colors are possible.
Lavender blooms in late summer, from June to August.
Life expectancy in nature is 20-30 years. In our country, it is found naturally only in Kuban.
A huge number of varieties have been developed with the possibility of growing throughout the territory. It is also cultivated as an industrial plant for the production of essential oils.

Main varieties of lavender angustifolia

Lavender angustifolia is the most suitable species for growing in Russia. Therefore, many breeders are trying to develop new varieties that would have improved characteristics. There are European varieties of angustifolia lavender and varieties that were bred specifically for middle zone Russia for industrial cultivation and decoration of site design.

European varieties of angustifolia lavender

Variety "Munstead". This variety of lavender is distinguished by compact small bushes that can reach a height of 40 cm. The flowers have a classic rich lavender color and will look great for decorating borders, paths or flower beds. Such bushes are not afraid of winds, so they can be planted in open areas.
Variety "Hidcote". It is perhaps the most common type of English lavender and includes many different varieties. Most often it is used to create low hedges, since the bushes are small in size and have a spherical crown. A variety of this subgroup is the Hidcote Blue variety, the flowers of which have a bright violet-blue hue. and the size of the bushes reaches only 40 cm. “Hidcote Giant” is a taller representative of this type of angustifolia lavender, reaching 60 cm in height.
Variety "Ellagance". This type of angustifolia lavender is easy to grow. It can be planted in the garden or in pots and placed indoors. This group includes several varieties. "Ellagance Sky" is excellent for edging lawns and flower beds. prefers hot weather, violet-lilac flowers. 'Ellagance Ice' has white or deep blue flowers and grows well in the garden and in containers. "Ellagance Pink" is an unusual variety whose flowers have a soft pink tint.
Variety "Rosea". Lavender angustifolia of this variety reaches a height of 40 cm and has lilac-pink inflorescences.
The Alba variety boasts pure white flowers.

In addition to the listed varieties, which were bred in Europe and correspond to a certain climate, there are also varieties of narrow-leaved lavender of Russian selection. They are special zoned varieties for cultivation in certain territories of Russia.

Varieties of narrow-leaved lavender of Russian selection

Variety "Record". It is a zoned industrial variety of angustifolia lavender, mid-season and high-yielding. Grown for its high concentration of oils.
Variety "Stepnaya". Also classified as an industrial variety, it is popular due to its high content of essential oils. Mid-season variety.
Variety "Border". It is an ornamental variety that was bred in the State Botanical Garden. It can reach a height of 45 cm, which is great for decorating borders and paths. It is highly resistant to local climatic conditions.
Lavender angustifolia Voznesenskaya 34. Also a zoned variety of lavender, which is perfect for growing in Russia.

This is just a small list of the most popular varieties of angustifolia lavender.

Preparations before landing

Lavender is a fairly heat-loving plant; it prefers hot climate. Since we do not have this climate, it is necessary to carefully prepare for planting angustifolia lavender, which is less whimsical and more hardy. It is imperative to choose the right place and pay great attention to preparing the soil.

Selecting a location

The choice of location for planting angustifolia lavender depends on the specific variety. First you need to decide where you want to plant lavender: in the garden in the ground or in a pot. Low-growing varieties that look great in this type of planting are perfect for pots. This kind of lavender can be planted in the garden in the summer, and with the onset of cold weather, taken back into the house.

Dwarf varieties of angustifolia lavender are also suitable for forming borders and garden paths. If you want to decorate an alpine hill or highlight some area of the garden, you can use tall varieties of lavender.

Lavender prefers to grow in fertile soils in elevated areas that are reliably protected from gusts of wind. The chosen location must have a lot of sun, since lavender is a heat-loving plant. However, it must be taken into account that lavender does not tolerate close groundwater. She could die from this.

Soil preparation

Lavender angustifolia grows well in loose, freshly dug, moderately nutritious and calcareous soils. Never plant this shrub on acidic or clayey soils; lavender will not grow there. It is in heavy clay soils that water is retained, and this can cause the plant to die.

For planting, it is necessary to prepare a special mixture, which will consist of leaf soil, humus and sand, to which complete mineral fertilizer is added.

Planting lavender angustifolia

Lavender is a demanding plant in its own way and requires careful preparation before planting. But, if you do everything as required, in the end you can get beautiful plant, which will become the pearl of your garden.

Before planting angustifolia lavender, it is necessary to dig up the ridges to a depth of 60 cm, and then they are cultivated. The planting pattern depends on how you want to plant your lavender. If you are planning to grow a hedge, then you can leave half the distance between plants than the height of the bush itself. If your climate zone is not entirely warm, then it is preferable to plant lavender in large pots so that you can take them indoors when cold weather sets in.

Planting by cuttings

This is one of the most simple ways growing lavender angustifolia. The optimal time for this type of planting is June-July. On an adult bush, it is necessary to cut off annual young shoots and cut out the middle parts. Next, they need to be cut into small cuttings 10 cm long. Then the prepared planting material should be rooted in fertile soil in a greenhouse, watered abundantly and covered with film. The cuttings need to be watered and ventilated throughout the rooting period. The roots should appear within a month, so lavender can be planted in a permanent place by the end of August. This is necessary so that the plant gains strength before winter.

Planting by layering

Another way to plant angustifolia lavender is to plant layering. To do this in the spring, you need to select strong and healthy branches on the bush. Then you should dig grooves around the perimeter of the bush and bend the selected shoots to them. The branches are sprinkled with earth or pinched. It is important to constantly water the cuttings. The young plant is separated the following spring.

Sowing lavender angustifolia seeds

Growing angustifolia lavender from seeds is perhaps the longest process of obtaining a young bush. First you need to prepare the seeds. In lavender they are very small, but they all germinate perfectly and do not need stratification. You can start sowing seeds as early as February. To do this, prepare a container with wet peat or sand. Then sow the seeds and cover the containers with film and place them in a cool place with a temperature of no more than 5 degrees. This could be a basement or a refrigerator. The duration of this process is 30-40 days. After this, the container is transferred to a warm room with a temperature of 15-16 degrees for seed germination.

When 3-5 leaves appear on the young seedlings, they can be planted in separate pots. Such bushes are planted in the ground in May.

Alternatively, the seeds can be sown directly into the ground. But then this place will need to be covered before the onset of frost.

Dividing the bush

For this method, you need to trim the bush in the fall, leaving only 8-10 cm and spud it. In the summer, young shoots should appear on it, and in the fall you can start dividing the bush.

The bush is dug up and the root system is soaked in water for 90 minutes. The tops of the shoots can be cut off. Be sure to be careful when dividing so as not to damage the roots.

The process of caring for lavender angustifolia

Caring for angustifolia lavender is quite simple and includes the most basic steps. This includes periodic watering, loosening and mulching the soil, fertilizing and pruning.

Watering

Lavender only needs abundant watering during dry periods, and at other times care should be taken not to overwater the plant. The shrub does not tolerate stagnant moisture; the root system may begin to rot. The optimal watering regime is as the soil dries out.

Loosening and mulching

Lavender angustifolia does not like dense soil; it needs a constant flow of air. Therefore, loosening the soil and removing weeds is considered an obligatory stage of plant care. You need to loosen often, and this must be done carefully. Be careful not to damage the roots.

You can simplify this process by using mulch. Use rotted leaves or special colorful substrates as mulch.

Top dressing

Lavender bushes respond well to fertilization. It would be optimal to use complex mineral fertilizers. At the beginning of plant growth, it is necessary to apply nitrogen fertilizers, and during flowering, complex mineral fertilizers.

Trimming

If you want to create beautiful bushes that will decorate your area, the crown must be trimmed. In this way you can give any shape. Everything will depend on the type of lavender and the height of the plant. This procedure needed to remove inflorescences after the first flowering. The shoots need to be trimmed a little. The main thing is that it is above the level of the woody shoot.

Preparing for winter

If the lavender will winter in the garden, it is necessary to provide it with reliable shelter from frost and lack of snow. Coniferous branches are perfect for shelter, but not foliage. The shoots must first be trimmed slightly. In winter, you can throw more snow on the bush.

If lavender grows in a tub or pot, then it needs to be taken indoors where it will overwinter.

Pest and disease control

Lavender angustifolia is practically not susceptible to damage from pests and diseases. Sometimes a plant can get gray mold, which can lead to rotting of various parts of the plant. These parts must be removed and burned.

Of the pests, it is worth noting the pennies, which lay larvae on lavender bushes. For protection, they cover them with foam in the form of saliva. This does not harm the plant and you can simply wash off the larvae with water.

Uses of lavender angustifolia

Lavenders are an excellent garden decoration. It can be used to create hedges and to frame garden paths. It looks great in single plantings and in creating compositions for rock gardens and rockeries. Lavender can be planted in tubs and large pots, which also looks impressive on the site.

Lavender attracts a large number of bees, which can pollinate other plants along the way. Bees, landing on lavender, sway it and at the same time the plant emits a wonderful aroma.

Lavender essential oils repel pests. therefore, this plant can be planted along vegetable beds.

Lavender can be used as a spice and also as interior decoration.

Lavender is an unusual and exotic plant that can decorate any area and be of great benefit in the fight against plant pests. And the opportunity to get such a plant costs only a little effort in planting and care.

Usually in articles devoted to essential oils they write about how to distinguish high-quality oil from a fake at home. What if you bought a high-quality oil, but for some reason it doesn’t work as the aromatherapy manuals describe? The fact is that, depending on the soil, climate and time of collection, essential oils with different properties can be extracted from plants that are identical from a botanical point of view. Therefore, it is necessary to know not only the type, but also the subspecies of the plant that served as the raw material for the essential oil. In fact, everything is not as scary as it seems, but on the contrary, exciting!

Lavender has many beneficial properties and is one of the few oils that can be applied undiluted to the skin. In online stores you can find at least three essential oils starting with the Latin Lavandula, which have both general and distinct individual properties.

Lavender officinalis (narrow-leaved) = Lavandula angustifolia = Lavandula officinalis = Lavandula vera = true lavender

Photo from www.kraeuter-und-duftpflanzen.de

This is real lavender oil, which is written about in most books on aromatherapy and has all the positive properties inherent in this oil:

Calms the heartbeat, lowers blood pressure, therefore useful for hypertension.
Relieves muscle pain, spasms and cramps, useful for arthritis and rheumatism.
Regulates digestion, normalizes the menstrual cycle.
Calms the central nervous system, helps in the fight against insomnia.
Regulates the production of sebum, eliminates post-acne marks in oily and problematic skin.
Eliminates irritation, itching and flaking in dry and sensitive skin, and is used to combat rosacea.
Soothes the skin with light burns and sunburn, relieves itching after insect bites.

Lavender officinalis is grown both in Europe and in Russia (Crimean lavender) and African countries. French lavender oil is considered the best in aroma.

Lavender broadleaf (spikelet) = Lavandula latifolia = Lavandula spica = spike lavender

Broadleaf lavender is often called French lavender because, in its wild form, it is widespread in the south of France. Perhaps because its aroma is considered less subtle than that of officinalis lavender, it is rarely cultivated, although it is widely used in aromatherapy.

Daniel Festi, a registered pharmacist who has worked with essential oils for many years, believes that “from a health point of view, this is the most useful look lavender."

It perfectly heals burns and effectively fights germs ( Staphylococcus aureus, colibacillus), viruses, is effective in the treatment of any ENT diseases. In cosmetology, lavender broadleaf is used to treat acne, psoriasis, herpes, skin peeling, and mycosis.

To restore the emotional sphere, spike lavender is used for nervous fatigue, depression and depression.

Lavandin = Lavandula x intermedia = Lavandula hybrida = Hybrid lavender

Lavandin is a hybrid obtained by crossing Lavender officinalis and Lavender latifolia. The main goal was to obtain a plant with the same pleasant smell as real lavender, but with large flowers like spiky lavender. The result was hybrid lavender. Its essential oil smells like lavender, but with a sharper, somewhat camphor-like scent.

Lavandin grows lower than its ancestors (400–600 meters above sea level), it is easier to cultivate, and the yield of essential oil is greater, which is why the essential oil costs less than lavender. Sometimes unscrupulous sellers adulterate real lavender oil with lavandin.

In general, lavandin essential oil is similar in effect to lavender. It calms the nerves (though not as pronounced as lavender, with the exception of the Super variety), has a bactericidal effect, eliminates skin irritation, acne, peeling, and is indicated for hair loss. As remedy, lavandin is recommended for use against colds, nervous palpitations and dizziness, against spasms and colic.

The only nuance you need to know about when buying lavandin essential oil is that, thanks to high content camphor, Not suitable for treating burns! But it is recommended to apply lavender essential oil directly to damaged skin.

Lavandin Grosso. Photo from guerilla-distiller.blogspot.com

There are many types of lavandin, but the four most common are Abrial, Super, Reydovan and Grosso, each with their own benefits:

The most pleasant aroma: Lavandin Abrial (Lavandula x intermedia CT abrialis). This type is most often used in perfumery as a replacement for lavender. Due to its milder effect than Lavender officinalis, this variety is better suited for children.
Good antispasmodic: Lavandin Super (Lavandula hybrida var. super). This oil is closest in composition to essential oil lavender and has a strong relaxing effect. Recommended for those who suffer from migraines, headaches and muscle stiffness.
Bactericidal effect: Lavandin Reydovan (Lavandula hybrida var Reydovan).
Against skin infections: Lavandin Grosso (Lavandula hybrida var. Grosso).