FRANCES

Species:  Lavandula angustifolia

Cultivar: ‘Frances’

Flower Color: Medium-dark violet

Stem Length:  12 – 14 inches

Plant Height:  15 – 18 inches

Plant Spread: 24 – 36 inches

Origin: Introduced by Van Hevelingen Nursery, Newberg, OR

‘Frances’ is a cold hardy lavender in the Pacific NW and grows in USDA Zones 5-8.  This lavender cultivar was a seedling that grew behind the nursery’s greenhouse for at least 25 years before the Van Hevelingen’s decided to name it ‘Frances’, after both of their mothers.  ‘Frances’ is a very hardy, unique L. angustifolia cultivar.  It grows wider than tall, produces medium to dark violet flowers (corollas) with long flower heads, on long straight stems.  The flowers have a pleasant, strong scent and are distilled for their essential oil and nicely-scented hydrosol.  When distilling, expect a higher-than-usual oil yield for a L. angustifolia cultivar.  The fresh and dried buds (calyces) can be used as culinary lavender and in crafts. The long stemmed flowers are used in fresh and dried lavender bouquets.

Photo credits: Andy Van Hevelingen