Lavandula stoechas
Common name: French lavender · Spanish lavender · Butterfly lavender
Lavandula stoechas is an evergreen shrubby lavender native to the western Mediterranean, including Spain, Portugal, and North Africa. It is instantly recognisable by its dense, pineapple-shaped flower heads topped with showy purple bracts that resemble rabbit ears or butterflies. It blooms earlier and longer than English lavender but is less cold-hardy and its scent is sharper and more camphoraceous. It is widely grown as an ornamental in mild climates and containers.
Care summary
Sun
Full sun
Water
Low; water sparingly, avoid wet roots
Soil
Well-drained, poor to moderately fertile
Hardiness
Zones 8–10
Mature height
About 30–100 cm (1–3 ft)
Pet safe
Mildly toxic to cats and dogs if ingested
Difficulty
Moderate
Propagation
Semi-ripe cuttings taken in late summer or softwood cuttings in spring root readily. Cut a 7-10 cm non-flowering shoot, remove the lower leaves, and root in a gritty, free-draining mix kept barely moist. Because this species is less cold-hardy, cuttings are also a useful way to keep backup plants.
Fun facts
- The name "stoechas" comes from the Stoechades islands off France, known to ancient Greek and Roman writers.
- Its showy top bracts are sterile "flags" that help attract pollinators to the small true flowers below.
- It flowers from spring into summer, often weeks before Lavandula angustifolia begins blooming.
- Its oil is rich in camphor and was historically used in antiseptics rather than fine perfumery.