Lavandula angustifolia 'Royal Velvet'

ENGLISH LAVENDER
Family: Lamiaceae
Pronounced: lah-VAN-dew-lah an-gus-tih-FOE-lee-ah

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Growing Guide
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GROWING GUIDE

Geographic Origin:
Garden.
Plant Group:
Herbs.
Hardiness:
Sunset zones: 4-24.
USDA zones: 5-8.
Heat zones: 8-5.
Mature size:
Height: 3 feet (90 cm).
Width: 3 feet (90 cm).
Flowering period:
Summer.
Flowering attributes:
Three to four inch long cylindrical spikes of bright violet-blue flowers with darker calyces.
Leaf attributes:
Gray-green, semi-open, lance-shaped foliage.
Light:
Full sun.
Soil:
Well-drained, loose soil.
Feeding:
None to very light feeding.
Propagation Methods:
Softwood cuttings in summer.
Pruning Methods:
Prune in early spring to keep plants from getting leggy; later perform a light trimming after flowers fade, taking off the flower stem, to extend the blooming season. In spite of advice never to hard prune lavender, you can hard prune young plants; however, old, woody plants will not take well to radical pruning.

I spotted this growing in Sequim, Washington, where it is a popular plant at the U-cut lavender farms. It is easy to understand why it is considered by many to be the finest English lavender cultivar. 'Royal Velvet' stands out as a slightly lax, bushy shrub, an attractive ornamental in the garden. In lavender fields, it sets itself apart from the others with its conspicuous darker flowers. Blooming on long stems as well as its other attributes, makes it an excellent choice for cut flowers, dried or fresh, and crafts. It is highly aromatic, a great oil producer, and choice for culinary uses.

Photographed in author's garden.