Lavender angustifolia: growing from seeds, planting and care in open ground

Narrow-leaved lavender is a type of evergreen perennial herbaceous shrub with delicate silvery foliage and fragrant spikelets consisting of small purple, lilac, pink, blue or white flowers. The medicinal and spicy-aromatic properties of this plant are well known, thanks to which it is actively used in medicine, perfumery and cooking. Lavender angustifolia is very decorative, frost-resistant and unpretentious.

It is not surprising that this species is the most widespread in Russia. Lavender angustifolia is grown in fields on an industrial scale. It is planted in decorative compositions, decorating parks, gardens, and personal plots.If you try a little, you can keep this delicate and pleasantly smelling flower in a flowerpot on the window of a city apartment. There are many cultivated varieties of angustifolia lavender with improved characteristics, including Russian selection. Among them, you can choose the ones most suitable for growing in a particular region.

Description of narrow-leaved lavender

Lavender angustifolia (in Latin Lavandula angustifolia) is one of the 47 species that make up the genus Lavender, which is part of the Lamiaceae family. In another way, it is also known under the names English lavender, true lavender, spicate lavender (spike, spicate).

This species received its main name due to the characteristic narrow shape of the leaf. Its description was first compiled by the English botanist Philip Miller in 1768. A photo of angustifolia lavender will help you understand what this plant is.

Lavender angustifolia (English) is a very decorative and fragrant evergreen subshrub that can become an exquisite decoration in any corner of the garden.

It is an evergreen, perennial, herbaceous subshrub from 30 to 60 (sometimes up to 100) cm in height. The shoots of the plant branch strongly, due to which the crown has a lush spherical shape. Lavender angustifolia has no central stem. Its powerful, lignified lower branches rise slightly above the surface of the earth and bear numerous young shoots of white-gray color, tending upward. Their surface is slightly pubescent. The number of shoots on one plant can reach 400 pieces.

Lavender angustifolia has a tap root system. It is dense and powerful, but at the same time it branches strongly in the upper part.

The leaves of the plant are thin, narrow, with slightly curved edges.When they bloom, they are pubescent, like shoots, and have a gray-green color, then they become bare and bright green. The length of lavender angustifolia leaves varies from 2 to 6 cm. They are located opposite.

The flower shoots of the plant have a noticeably elongated upper internode. The inflorescences are located at their tops. They have a spicate shape.

Flowering of lavender angustifolia lasts 25-30 days. It can usually be observed in July-August. The flowers are small, about 1 cm long, united in false whorls of 6 pieces. They have elongated two-lipped corollas with large lobes. As a rule, they are blue-violet in color, although there are varieties of angustifolia lavender with purple, blue, pink, and white flowers.

The fruit of the plant is 4 nuts located inside the calyx. Their ripening period is August-September.

The lifespan of angustifolia lavender in nature is 20-30 years.

Comment! In Russia, this plant can be found in the wild only in Kuban.

Differences between broad-leaved and narrow-leaved lavender

When people say the word “lavender,” they most often mean angustifolia. However, not only this species is known in culture.

Broadleaf lavender (Lavandula latifolia), often popularly called French lavender, is grown in large quantities in the south of this country and is used for the production of essential oil. It is distinguished by the following features:

on each stem of broadleaf lavender there are 3 inflorescences (for angustifolia - one);
its spikelets are shorter and denser;
flowering begins earlier;
leaves are wider, lanceolate-shaped;
the petals of its upper flowers stick out upward like the wings of a butterfly;
its aroma is stronger and sharper, it has pronounced notes of camphor;
she is more thermophilic.

Broadleaf lavender (French) is less winter-hardy than English lavender and has a stronger aroma.

Comment! The hybrid of lavender broadleaf and angustifolia is called “lavandin”; its bush is taller and more voluminous than that of the latter, and the flowers and leaves contain a much larger amount of essential oil. However, it is inferior in quality and healing properties to the product obtained from real lavender.

Lavandin - a hybrid of narrow-leaved and broad-leaved lavender

Varieties of narrow-leaved lavender

Today, many varieties of angustifolia lavender are known, which differ in height, bush shape, degree of aroma, flowering time, and flower color. Most of them were bred in England, France, and Spain. However, there are several excellent varieties, both of domestic origin and from neighboring countries, zoned in various regions of Russia.

Munstead

Lavender angustifolia Munstead (Munstead, Munstead) was bred in 1916 by the famous English garden designer Gertrude Jekyll. This variety does not grow tall - only up to 30-40 cm. Very fragrant flowers are colored in a rich blue-violet tone and appear in July-August.

Munstead is an extremely beautiful low variety

Hidcote

Hidcote (Hidcote) is one of the most popular varieties of angustifolia lavender in the world, named after the estate of its originator, the Englishman Lawrence Johnston. Reaches 30-60 cm in height and about 1 m in diameter. It has a very persistent pleasant aroma. Its dark purple flowers look extremely decorative against the background of dense blue-green foliage. In climates with warm, mild winters, this plant remains evergreen.

Hidcote is one of the most popular varieties in the world.

Folgate

The Folgate lavender bush with a dense spherical crown usually grows to 30-70 cm. Its petals, painted in a violet-blue hue, shimmer in bright light, making these flowers look very beautiful when cut. This variety has a fragrant, sweetish aroma. Flowering begins early, in late spring or early summer. It is lavender angustifolia Folgate that is most often used in cooking. A significant drawback is that in open ground it does not tolerate winters in the middle climate zone.

Blue-violet Folgate flowers shimmer in bright light

Buena Vista

The flowers of the Buena Vista variety have an unusual color: dark purple calyxes and violet-blue corollas. This is a medium-sized lavender (50-60 cm). Due to its repeated flowering in late spring and early autumn, as well as its high oil content, it is actively grown for industrial purposes.

The color of flowers of the Buena Vista variety combines two tones

Dwarf Blue

Dwarf Blue (Dwarf Blue) is a compact (up to 40 cm), frost-resistant variety of narrow-leaved lavender. The soft purple flowers look beautiful against the silvery green leaves. It is resistant to air pollution, and therefore suitable for growing for decorative purposes in urban gardens. Can be planted in pots and containers. Blooms in June-July. Tolerates cutting well.

The soft purple Dwarf Blue is resistant to air pollution and is great for urban plantings.

Ellagance

Ellagance is a group of angustifolia lavender varieties with a height of 30-60 cm. Ellagance Pink has soft pink flowers, Ellagance Ice has dark blue or snow-white flowers, Ellagance Sky has lilac-violet flowers, Ellagance Purple has rich lilac. They are grown primarily for decorative purposes.

Elagans Ice will surprise you with its snow-white color

Voznesenskaya 34

A domestic selection variety bred in the Krasnodar region. It was included in the State Register in 1962. This is a low-growing variety, the height of the bush does not exceed 30 cm. Dense branches, forming an almost spherical crown, are covered with gray-green leaves. Bright numerous inflorescences of violet-lilac color adorn this lavender in June-July. Excellent for growing in all regions of Russia.

Voznesenskaya 34 - a popular industrial variety of domestic selection

Stepnaya

The originator of the variety is the Crimean Research Institute of Agriculture. It was included in the State Register of the Russian Federation in 2014. Recommended for cultivation in the North Caucasus region. Plant height is up to 60 cm, crown shape is semi-spreading. The flowers of this variety of angustifolia lavender are colored in light lilac tones. It is characterized by mid-ripening and a high content of essential oils. It is considered not too winter-hardy.

The variety of lavender angustifolia Stepnaya is famous not only for the beauty of its flowers, but also for its high content of essential oil

Early

Early ripening lavender, created by Crimean breeders based on the Stepnaya variety. Date of inclusion in the State Register - 1980. The height of the bush is average (30-60 cm), the corollas of the flowers are light purple, the calyxes are gray-green. Thanks to its high yield and good winter hardiness, the variety has established itself as an industrial variety. An additional positive feature is resistance to septoria.

Early - winter-hardy and early flowering hybrid of the Stepnaya variety

Isis

A hybrid of angustifolia lavender, obtained by Crimean breeders as a result of crossing the Druzhba, Stepnaya and Hemus varieties. It was included in the State Register of the Russian Federation in 2000 and zoned for cultivation in the North Caucasus region. Grows up to 69-70 cm in height.Late ripening variety. The flowers are dark purple. Excellent for propagation by seeds. The results of variety trials showed that in terms of essential oil collection, the parameters of Isis were noted even higher than those of Stepnaya.

The Isis variety retains most of its characteristics when propagated by seeds

Features of reproduction

There are several ways to propagate lavender angustifolia:

sowing seeds;
cuttings;
dividing the bush;
rooting of cuttings.

Growing from seeds is the longest and most labor-intensive option for obtaining young plants. In ornamental gardening, the seedling method is usually used, but sowing directly into the ground is also allowed.

Important! Freshly harvested seeds of the narrow-leaved variety usually have low germination rates. To increase it, it is advisable to keep the seed in storage for a year.

It is much easier to take cuttings from a plant. To do this, in June-July, annual shoots are cut from a young bush of a narrow-leaved variety. They are divided into cuttings about 10 cm long and the leaves at the base are removed. The lower cut of each of them is dipped in Kornevin and rooted under a film in a greenhouse with fertile soil, providing abundant watering and ventilation for 3-5 weeks. As a rule, by the end of August, young plants with an overgrown root system are planted in a permanent place of growth so that they have time to gain strength before the onset of winter.

Adult, 3-4-year-old angustifolia lavender bushes can be divided. This procedure is performed in spring or autumn. The bush should be dug up along with a lump of earth and carefully cut into 2 or more parts with a sterile sharp knife or pruning shears. It is important that each of the divisions has well-developed roots.They should be trimmed a little before planting the plants in a new location.

Layings of lavender angustifolia are rooted in the spring. Shallow grooves are dug in the ground near the selected bush. Several long shoots are carefully tilted to the side, placed in prepared holes and pinned or pressed to the ground with a small weight. Then the cuttings are sprinkled with soil, leaving their tops on the surface. Next, it is imperative to ensure that the soil around the bush and buried shoots does not dry out. Next spring, angustifolia lavender cuttings will produce roots. They can be separated from the mother plant and planted in the chosen location.

Application in landscape design

The decorative appearance of the evergreen bushes of angustifolia lavender, strewn with beautiful fragrant flowers in summer, its longevity and ease of care have made this plant very popular in the design of gardens and plots.

For a narrow-leaved species, you can easily find a place in the design of a garden of any style.

The options for using it in landscape design are varied:

creating low hedges, planting along fences and along the perimeter of various buildings;
front and middle rows in mixborders;
fragrant and bright borders along garden paths;
picturesque islands between stones in rock gardens and rockeries;
effective decoration of various corners of the garden when grown in tubs and large flowerpots of unusual shape;
single plantings against a backdrop of green lawns;
in combination with plants intended to strengthen slopes: juniper, rhododendron, awl-shaped phlox, lilac;
in flower beds with different varieties of roses;
in compositions with herbs: sage, rosemary, thyme, thyme, mint, yarrow.

Beneficial properties of narrow-leaved lavender

Lavender angustifolia is not only a beautiful and fragrant, but also a very useful plant. In addition to decorating the garden, it can successfully perform other roles:

this is an excellent honey plant that attracts pollinators to the site - bees and butterflies;
angustifolia lavender bushes, planted along the beds in the garden, repel insect pests during flowering;
all organs of the plant contain essential oil, which is successfully used in perfumery and aromatherapy;
Lavender angustifolia flowers are used in culinary recipes;
dry inflorescences laid out on closet shelves protect wool and fur clothing from damage by moths.

The narrow-leaved species has long been successfully used in folk medicine, as it has many properties beneficial to human health. In particular, its dried flowers, stems, leaves and essential oil are used:

as a sedative for insomnia, nervousness, migraines, chronic stress;
for the treatment of digestive system disorders;
in the fight against certain skin diseases;
as a component for soothing baths;
for circulatory disorders;
for the preparation of ointments effective for arthritis, rheumatism, sprains;
as the main component of a product for treating burns and wounds.

The essential oil of the plant is contained in all its organs and is widely used in medicine, cooking, and perfumery.

Growing narrow-leaved lavender at home

Although lavender angustifolia cannot be called a traditional houseplant, it is also possible to grow it at home. The main problems when keeping this flower indoors are, as a rule, insufficient lighting and lack of fresh air.If you try to eliminate them by properly organizing the care of the plant, then it will be able to develop and bloom quite successfully.

The main subtleties of growing angustifolia lavender in a pot:

Correct choice of plant variety. For cultivation in apartment conditions, low varieties of angustifolia lavender with good drought resistance, such as Munstead, Hidcote, Lavender Lady, Nana Alba, are best suited.
Correct selection of container and soil for planting. To begin with, it is better to take a wide flowerpot with a diameter of at least 30 cm and a volume of 2-3 liters with drainage holes in the bottom. The soil should be loose and fertile. A mixture of sand with humus and leaf soil 1:1:2 or a ready-made commercial substrate is suitable.
Germination of seeds. At the initial stage, it obeys the same rules as when sowing seedlings, which will be discussed in more detail below.
Providing sufficient light, warmth and fresh air. In nature, angustifolia lavender needs sunlight for at least 10 hours a day. In summer, it is advisable to take the pot with the plant to an open loggia or garden, and in winter, place it on a south-facing window sill and provide additional lighting with a phytolamp.
Regular watering with warm, settled water 2-3 times a week. The soil in the pot should be moist, but not soggy. When watering angustifolia lavender, water must be applied so that it hits the leaves and then flows down them into the ground. In hot summers, the plant should be additionally sprayed with a spray bottle.
Application of fertilizers in liquid form once every 2-3 weeks. Before budding begins, potted lavender is fed with nitrogen compounds. Then, phosphorus-potassium fertilizers are added throughout the growing season.
Performing proper pruning of the plant. It helps to form a neat spherical crown. Emerging shoots of angustifolia lavender are trimmed with garden shears twice a year: before flowering begins and after it ends.
Annual spring transplantation into a larger container due to root growth. Starting from 5-6 years old, the angustifolia lavender bush growing at home can be divided. This will help rejuvenate the plant.

You can successfully grow lavender in an apartment if you provide it with proper care.

Planting and caring for narrow-leaved lavender in open ground

Lavender angustifolia is hardy and unpretentious, but it should be remembered that it is heat-loving and needs an abundance of light, as well as suitable soil. It is necessary to take into account the preferences of this flower when organizing planting and further care for it.

Deadlines

In regions with warm winters and a mild climate, angustifolia lavender seeds can be sown directly into the ground. The optimal period for this is October.

Warning! In the case of pre-winter planting, the area will definitely need to be covered before frost sets in.

In the Moscow region and the middle zone, angustifolia lavender seeds are usually germinated into seedlings before planting in the ground. This is done at the end of February or beginning of March. Thus, in May, young seedlings with 3-5 leaves can already be planted in the soil.

Site selection and soil preparation

The area where it is planned to place angustifolia lavender must have the following characteristics:

open, well lit;
protected from strong winds;
the soil is loose, calcareous, with good drainage properties;
the optimal soil composition is sandy loam or light loam;
its acidity level does not exceed 6.5.

The close occurrence of groundwater is unacceptable. Ideally, the bed or flower garden should be located on a small hill to prevent stagnation of moisture at the roots.

Important! You cannot grow angustifolia lavender on soils that are too acidic, heavy, or clayey.

Immediately before planting, the bed must be dug to a depth of 0.2-0.3 m, debris removed, and weed rhizomes selected. Lavender angustifolia is not too demanding on soil fertility, but it grows well in soil rich in humus. It is recommended to contribute for each square. m bed area:

1 bucket of rotted manure or compost;
20-25 g of potassium salt;
35-50 g of superphosphate.

How to sow angustifolia lavender seeds

Growing angustifolia lavender from seeds requires their mandatory pre-planting preparation. For this purpose, the seed material is stratified at a temperature of about + 5 ° C for 1-2 months. It is recommended to mix the seeds with moistened sand, wrap them in a paper napkin and then in cling film, and place them in the vegetable compartment of the refrigerator.

When planting in open ground in autumn, the lavender angustifolia seed is buried 0.3-0.4 cm into the soil. After this, the surface of the bed is lightly compacted and, if necessary, moistened.

Lavender angustifolia seeds can be germinated in advance for seedlings or sown directly in open ground

The seedling method of growing angustifolia lavender involves the following steps:

A layer of drainage is poured onto the bottom of a wide box or container. Then it is filled with a substrate made from a mixture of sand, humus and leaf soil.
Stratified seeds are distributed over the soil surface.They are sprinkled with a layer of sand about 3 mm thick, then sprayed with warm water from a spray bottle, covered with glass or a transparent polyethylene cap and placed in a warm (+ 15-22 ° C), well-lit place.
After the shoots emerge, they are provided with additional lighting and the “greenhouse” is removed for a short time every day, accustoming the growing angustifolia lavender to room temperature.
When the seedlings have 2-3 pairs of true leaves, they are planted in separate pots or planted in a larger container, leaving a distance of at least 5 cm between them.
At the end of May, angustifolia lavender is transferred to open ground. Holes are dug in the garden bed to such a depth that the rhizomes of the seedlings can fit in them. The distance between planting holes depends on the size of the adult plant: for tall varieties of angustifolia lavender it is 1.2 m, for medium and low varieties it is approximately 0.8-0.9 m. The roots of the seedling are slightly trimmed, placed in the hole and covered with earth. Then it is watered abundantly.

Important! During planting, the root collars of seedlings should be buried 0.4-0.6 cm into the ground.

After the seedlings have 2-3 true leaves, they are plucked

Aftercare

Further care for angustifolia lavender growing in open ground is not difficult. It is important to do it correctly.

Watering and fertilizing

It is recommended to water angustifolia lavender systematically as the soil dries. During the first time after transplantation, seedlings need the soil at their roots to be constantly moderately moist. Adult plants, if necessary, can tolerate a lack of watering for 2-3 weeks.

Angustifolia lavender does not require special fertilizing.As a rule, it is mulched in the spring or covered with compost or humus in the fall. If for some reason this was not done, you can fertilize angustifolia lavender with a complex mineral composition for flowering plants at the stage of bud appearance.

Loosening, weeding, mulching

Every time after watering or rain, it is advisable to carefully loosen the soil between the plants and pull out the weeds. However, these procedures can be carried out less frequently if, immediately after planting angustifolia lavender, the soil at its roots is mulched with a layer of peat or compost.

If the bushes are old, in spring and autumn they need to be hilled up high to allow new shoots to grow.

Trimming

It is advisable to remove the first inflorescences that appear on young seedlings. This will give the young angustifolia lavender the opportunity to grow stronger and grow roots.

Bushes need to be trimmed annually. After the angustifolia lavender has finished blooming, the wilted inflorescences should be removed. In the fall you will need to shorten the shoots, maintaining the spherical shape of the crown.

Correct and timely pruning of lavender helps to form a neat crown

Anti-aging pruning is carried out after angustifolia lavender reaches 10 years of age. All branches must be shortened to 5 cm. The same can be done with a young plant that is not happy with abundant flowering.

Preparing for winter

If in the region where angustifolia lavender grows, the winter temperature drops below - 25 ° C, it should definitely be covered during the frost period. After pruning, the bushes are covered with coniferous spruce branches or “breathing” agrofibre is placed on top.

Important! It is advisable not to use fallen leaves as winter shelter for lavender angustifolia.This can cause the plant to rot and rot.

If the winters in the region are warm and mild, angustifolia lavender does not need to be covered.

Pests and diseases

There are not many pests and diseases that can cause serious damage to this plant. However, angustifolia lavender may pose a health hazard to:

Gray rot (gray mold) – a fungal disease that develops when the soil is waterlogged or plantings are too thick. First, the flowering tips of the shoots turn brown and die, then the infection affects the remaining above-ground organs. After the disease is detected, the most infected specimens of angustifolia lavender should be removed and burned, and the remaining plantings should be treated with Bordeaux mixture (1%) or fungicides.
The occurrence of gray rot is often promoted by waterlogging of the soil or too dense plantings
Slobbering Penny - a parasitic insect that eats large holes in lavender leaves. It also significantly spoils the decorative appearance of the plant due to a foam-like substance clinging to the stems, with which it protects its larvae. You can get rid of pennies by washing the lavender plantings with a narrow-leaved stream of water from a hose.
The larvae of the slobbering pennix are protected by a layer of viscous substance resembling foam
Rainbow beetle - a pest that eats the leaves and flowers of lavender, depriving it of the opportunity to develop. Heavily infected bushes are advised to be dug up and destroyed. Adult insects are usually collected by hand.
Rainbow beetle damages lavender leaves and flowers

Conclusion

Narrow-leaved lavender is a bright, spectacular and fragrant garden decoration that can please the eye for many years and does not require complex care.You can successfully grow this evergreen beauty as a houseplant if you provide it with enough light and warmth. Gardeners' reviews of angustifolia lavender agree that this flower is little affected by pests and diseases and is undemanding to environmental conditions. A wide variety of varieties allows you to choose an option suitable for cultivation in almost any region. If the winters are harsh, you can plant the plant in a tub and, after the end of the warm period, take it from the garden indoors in order to put it out again in the open air for the next season.