Lavandula angustifolia 'Munstead'

Common name(s): English lavender

Description: evergreen shrub; widely confused in the trade. Authentic clones of the original 'Munstead' are hard to come by; our stock comes from the national collection of England and is the same clone that was awarded in the 1963 trials at Wisley. Compact growth and sweetly fragrant, dark violet flower spikes on relatively short stems held just above the foliage.

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

Stem length: 6-8 in.  

Corolla: mid-violet 

Calyx: dark violet

Bloom season: early summer

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

Origin: an old English cultivar (1902 or earlier) introduced by Gertrude Jekyll and named for her estate Munstead Wood in Surrey

Position: full sun and well-draining soil

Winter Hardiness: to 0 F and below

Drought: adapted to 3 months of summer drought