Lavandula stoechas cultivars are commonly called Spanish lavenders in the United States. They are the first lavenders to bloom in April and May in the Pacific Northwest.
This lavandula species originally came from lavenders that crossed and propagated from seed growing in the wild in Spain, Portugal, France, and other Mediterranean countries.
L. stoechas has at least 50 recognized hybrid cultivars that are grown primarily for ornamental purposes.
Spanish lavenders are prized for their ornamental uses, especially in containers. The plants grow fast and the flowers bloom earlier and longer than most other lavenders.
The large flower heads are topped with two very distinctive long bracts that resemble butterfly wings. There are a variety of flower colors ranging from very dark purple to light purple with reddish tones, and there are several striking mixed blue, pink, and white flowering cultivars available in our region.
Many of the L. stoechas cultivars have been discovered, propagated, and introduced by plant breeders in Australia, New Zealand, and other parts of Europe, and more recently in the United States.
Over the years, there have been several unique L. stoechas cultivars that have been introduced in the Pacific NW by Andy & Melissa Van Hevelingen, Van Hevelingen Herb Nursery, in Newberg, Oregon.
They include L. stoechas
‘Cottage Rose’,
‘Ivory Crown’,
‘Portuguese Giant,
and ‘Purple Flame’.
NOTE: To our knowledge, most of these cultivars are NLA, (no longer available) in the Pacific Northwest. As of spring 2024, only one of these cultivars, ‘Ivory Crown’, is being propagated.
‘Cottage Rose”
Height: 12-15 inches
Flower Color: Bright rose-pink with light pink top bracts
This cultivar was selected as a seedling because it proved to be hardier than most of the other pink flowering cultivars in this species. This lavender has a dwarf, compact growth habit and flower heads that bloom on short stems. The corollas are bright pink with lighter pink top bracts. They have a strong aroma and tend to bloom longer in the spring and summer. (NLA)
‘Ivory Crown’
Height: 18-24 inches
Flower Color: Dark purple with ivory-colored top bracts
This cultivar was a selected seedling in the Van Hevelingen garden. The bright green flower heads have dark purple corollas that are crowned with ivory-colored bracts. This cultivar is still available at select Pacific NW nurseries and seems to tolerate wet, cooler temperatures than some of the other cultivars.
‘Portuguese Giant’
Height: 24-36 inches
Flower Color: Dark purple with purple-reddish top bracts
This cultivar was selected from wild collected seed from Portugal. The plant has huge flower heads with dark purple corollas and broad, long purplish-red top bracts. (NLA)
‘Purple Flame’
Height: 20-24 inches
Flower Color: Dark purple with vibrant purple top bracts
This cultivar was a selected seedling for its medium-sized dark purple flower heads with long narrow, vibrant purple top bracts that have a distinct red line running through the center of each bract. The bright colors make it stand out in the garden. (NLA)
‘Peter’s Pink’
Height: 18 inches
Flower Color: Mid to dark reddish-purple-pink with soft pink, red-veined top bracts
This cultivar was acquired by Andy Van Hevelingen from Bruce McDonald, in Vancouver, British Columbia at the University of B.C. Andy found that this cultivar came true from seed and sold it to nurseries in Oregon for several years. It is similar to the cultivar ‘Kew Red’ that is said to come from cuttings taken during a joint U. of Reading, (Royal Botanical Garden, Kew) field trip in 1991. The cuttings came from plants growing in Almeria, Spain. Seeds from those plants were collected and propagated in the U.S. It has been reported, but not confirmed, that ‘Peter’s Pink’ is a seedling of ‘Kew Red’. Both lavenders have plump flower heads on short stems. These cultivars do not like wet winters and will not survive outside in hard, freezing temperatures. For a few years, ‘Peter’s Pink’ proved to be winter hardy when it was grown in well-draining gravel beds at a Western Oregon nursery.
(Both cultivars are regarded as a color-breakthrough in the L. stoechas species due to their plump flower heads with reddish-pink corollas and contrasting soft pink bracts, which are striking and unique to this species of lavender.
Contributed by
Chris Mulder, Barn Owl Nursery
Edited & formatted by
Pam Baker, Little Lavender Farm
