Know Your Lavender: English, Spanish, and Intermediate

At Plantworks, we offer 3 lavender species. Regardless of variety, lavender's universal preferences remain the same: full sun, well-drained soil, low water needs once established, and light regular pruning after blooming. Here is a breakdown of the main differences and uses.

Lavender's roughly 2,500-year history stretches across civilizations. Ancient Egyptians used it in embalming and cosmetics; the Greeks documented its therapeutic properties, and the Romans built it into bathing culture, wound care and daily life. Medieval monks grew it in monastery gardens while Renaissance herbalists cemented its place as a household remedy for ailments, insects and freshening linens. Its modern identity crystallized around 1910 when a French chemist coined the term 'aromatherapy.' Today, lavender spans nearly all these roles at once and its daily value continues in aromatherapy, skincare and cooking alike. 

ENGLISH LAVENDER (Lavandula angustifolia)

The classic, most cold-hardy lavender type, and the one most associated with culinary and aromatherapy use.

• Hardiness: USDA Zones 5-9; the most cold-tolerant of the three
• Bloom Time: Late spring to early summer, with a single bloom flush
• Fragrance: Sweetest, most refined scent; considered the best for culinary and therapeutic uses
• Foliage & Size: Compact, mounding habit, typically 1-2 feet tall and wide
• Best for: Cooking, essential oil production, aromatherapy, and colder climates where other types won't survive winter

INTERMEDIATE LAVENDER (Lavandula x intermedia)

A hybrid cross between English and Portuguese lavender, bred for bigger blooms and higher oil yield.

• Hardiness: USDA Zones 5-8; nearly as cold-hardy as English lavender, though slightly less so
• Bloom time:  Mid-to-late summer, later and often longer-lasting than English lavender
• Fragrance: Stronger, more camphorous scent than English lavender; excellent for oil production but less refined for culinary use
• Foliage & Size: Larger and more vigorous, often 2–3 feet tall and wide, with longer flower stems
• Best For: Commercial oil and sachet production, larger landscape plantings, and gardeners wanting a bigger visual impact with a long bloom season

SPANISH LAVENDER (Lavandula stoechas)

Easily recognized by its distinctive "rabbit ear" bracts on top of each flower spike, Spanish lavender is the most heat-loving and least cold-hardy of the three.

• Hardiness: USDA Zones 7-9; needs warm winters and doesn't tolerate hard freezes
• Bloom time: Earliest to bloom in spring, and often reblooms through summer in warm climates
• Fragrance: More pine-like and resinous, less sweet; not typically used for culinary purposes
• Foliage & Size: Compact and bushy, usually 1.5–2 feet tall, with showy, ornamental flower bracts
• Best For: Warm-climate landscaping, containers, and gardeners prioritizing ornamental appeal and an early, extended bloom season over fragrance or culinary use