Lavandula angustifolia 'Maillette'

Common name(s): English lavender

Description: evergreen shrub; a French field variety grown since the 1950s for its ease of cultivation and resistance to disease. In 1999, it represented 40-50% of the L. angustifolia essential oil production in France. Popular in the perfume industry because the oil mixes well with alcohol. As of 2000, there were at least five different clones under the name 'Maillette' in just the Alpes-de-Haute Provence of France but it is probable that there is only a single clone in the U.S. market. Upswept growth with gray-green foliage and strongly fragrant, violet-blue flower spikes on mid-length stems.

Height: to 2 ft. Spread: to 3 ft.

Stem length: 10-14 in.  

Corolla: dark violet-blue

Calyx: dark purple, sage green at the base

Bloom season: early summer

Best Uses: landscaping, essential oil, culinary, bouquets, potpourri, crafts

Origin: thought to be a selection by Monsieur Maillet, a French farmer in Valensole who judged oils from his own selected plants for decades

Position: full sun and well-draining soil

Winter Hardiness: to 0 F and below

Drought: adapted to 3 months of summer drought