Lavender (Lavandula angustifolia Mill.) is a popular garden plant with hundreds of cultivars to choose from. Some lavenders grow tall with dark purple flowers. Others stay compact with pink or white blooms. Cold-hardy types survive freezing winters while heat-tolerant varieties thrive in hot summers. Below are 30+ lavender cultivars commonly grown in home gardens.
‘Hidcote’ lavender
‘Hidcote’ is one of the most popular English lavender cultivars for home gardens. This variety produces dark purple flowers with a sweet floral scent above dense gray-green foliage. Major Lawrence Johnston bred ‘Hidcote’ at his estate garden in the United Kingdom. Plants grow 24 to 28 inches tall (60 to 70 cm) and form bushy mounds. ‘Hidcote’ thrives in USDA Zone 5 to 9. True ‘Hidcote’ lavender is propagated from cuttings rather than seed.
‘Phenomenal’ lavender
‘Phenomenal’ is a hybrid lavandin (Lavandula angustifolia × Lavandula latifolia) known for tolerating both cold winters and hot summers. This makes it one of the easiest lavenders to grow across different climates. The violet-blue flowers work well in hedges or as garden ornamentals. Dried flowers can be used in sachets and potpourri. Plants reach 24 to 36 inches tall (60 to 90 cm) and grow in Zone 5 to 8. ‘Phenomenal’ is also sold as ‘Niko’ lavender.
‘Munstead’ lavender
‘Munstead’ is the most popular culinary lavender variety grown in kitchen gardens. This English lavender has a sweet taste and is perfect for cooking. The compact plants also work well as hedges in potager gardens. Gertrude Jekyll developed ‘Munstead’ at her home in the United Kingdom. Plants grow 24 to 28 inches tall (60 to 70 cm) with a bushy base of foliage. ‘Munstead’ is hardy in Zone 5 to 8.
‘Provence’ lavender
‘Provence’ is a tall lavandin grown commercially for high-quality lavender oil used in perfumes. The fragrant flowers also look beautiful in mixed flower borders or low hedges. Plants typically reach 24 to 36 inches tall (60 to 90 cm) and grow in Zone 5 to 8.
‘Grosso’ lavender
‘Grosso’ is the most common lavender variety grown for essential oil production. This lavandin also works well as an ornamental hedge due to its rounded shape and abundant flower spikes. ‘Grosso’ was discovered in France and has natural resistance to Yellow Decline disease. Plants reach 28 to 32 inches tall (70 to 80 cm) and grow in Zone 5 to 8.
‘Royal Velvet’ lavender
‘Royal Velvet’ is a compact English lavender with dark purple flowers and a strong sweet fragrance. Andrew Van Hevelingen bred this variety in the United States. Plants grow 20 to 24 inches tall (50 to 60 cm) and are hardy in Zone 5 to 8.
‘Sensational’ lavender
‘Sensational’ is a lavandin with dark purple flowers on branched stems above dense gray foliage. The plump blooms make this variety stand out in mass plantings or hedges. Flowers can be dried for sachets and wands. Plants reach 24 to 30 inches tall (60 to 75 cm) and grow in Zone 5 to 9. ‘Sensational’ is also sold as ‘Tesseract’ lavender.
‘Goodwin Creek Grey’ lavender
‘Goodwin Creek Grey’ has gray foliage and thin gray-violet flower spikes. The slightly toothed leaves suggest some French lavender parentage. This intersectional hybrid produces elegant long spikes with dainty violet bracts. Goodwin Creek Gardens in Oregon developed this variety. Plants grow 24 to 32 inches tall (60 to 80 cm) and are hardy in Zone 7 to 9.
‘Melissa’ lavender
‘Melissa’ is an English lavender with pink flowers that work beautifully as a feature plant or in hedges. Andrew Van Hevelingen bred this variety in the United States. Plants reach 24 to 28 inches tall (60 to 70 cm) and grow in Zone 5 to 9. A lilac purple version is also available.
‘Otto Quast’ lavender
‘Otto Quast’ is a popular Spanish lavender (Lavandula stoechas) with red-purple petals at the top of each flower spike. The ruffled sterile bracts create a striking ornamental effect. This variety makes an excellent hedging plant. Plants grow about 28 inches tall (70 cm) and are hardy in Zone 7 to 9.
‘Hidcote Giant’ lavender
‘Hidcote Giant’ is a lavandin with tall flower stems and dark violet-blue flowers. This variety looks like a large version of traditional ‘Hidcote’ English lavender. The plants work well as feature specimens or informal hedges. Plants grow about 32 inches tall (80 cm) and are hardy in Zone 5 to 8.
‘Lady’ lavender
‘Lady’ is an English lavender developed by Burpee Seed Company and named an AAS Winner in 1994. This variety is one of the few lavenders commonly grown from seed. Seed-grown plants show variation in height and flower color. Plants typically grow 16 to 20 inches tall (40 to 50 cm) and are hardy in Zone 5 to 9.
‘Fred Boutin’ lavender
‘Fred Boutin’ is a large lavandin with gray foliage and purple flower spikes. This variety works well in the middle of flower borders or as a tall hedge. Botanist Frederick C. Boutin developed this cultivar at the Huntington Botanical Gardens in San Marino, California. Plants grow about 32 inches tall (80 cm) and are hardy in Zone 6 to 9.
‘Buena Vista’ lavender
‘Buena Vista’ is an English lavender with delicate long flower spikes. This variety works well in flower borders and for scented crafts. Dr. Don Roberts of Premier Botanicals in Oregon bred this cultivar. Plants grow 20 to 28 inches tall (50 to 70 cm) and are hardy in Zone 5 to 10.
‘Violet Intrigue’ lavender
‘Violet Intrigue’ is a larger English lavender with an elegant upright shape. This versatile variety works as a feature plant, hedge, or grouped in borders. Plants reach 28 to 32 inches tall (70 to 80 cm) and are hardy in Zone 5 to 8. ‘Violet Intrigue’ is also sold as ‘Lavang 21’.
‘Blue Cushion’ lavender
‘Blue Cushion’ is a compact English lavender with blue-violet flowers. This variety works well for low hedges, garden edging, and container growing. ‘Blue Cushion’ is among the most cold-hardy lavenders available. Blooms of Bressingham in the United Kingdom bred this cultivar in the 1990s. Plants reach about 20 inches tall (50 cm) and are hardy in Zone 4 to 9.
‘Miss Katherine’ lavender
‘Miss Katherine’ is an English lavender with soft pink flowers and a tidy round bushy form. The light pink flower spikes provide a lovely color contrast when planted near darker lavender varieties. Norfolk Lavender in the United Kingdom bred this cultivar. Plants reach about 28 inches tall (70 cm) and are hardy in Zone 5 to 8.
‘Nana Alba’ lavender
‘Nana Alba’ is the smallest popular white-flowered lavender variety. This English lavender works well at the front of border gardens and in containers. Charles Musgrave bred this heirloom variety in the United Kingdom. Plants reach only 12 to 16 inches tall (30 to 40 cm) and are hardy in Zone 5 to 9.
‘Dutch’ lavender
‘Dutch’ is a large lavandin with gray foliage and violet-blue flowers. This heirloom variety is perfect for flower borders and lining pathways. Plants grow about 32 inches tall (80 cm) and are hardy in Zone 5 to 8.
‘Ballerina’ lavender
‘Ballerina’ is a Spanish lavender with white flowers topping pink-purple spikes. The elegant white sterile bracts look like dancers moving in the breeze. Peter Carter of New Zealand bred this ornamental variety in the 1990s. Plants grow about 24 inches tall (60 cm) and are hardy in Zone 8 to 9.
‘Imperial Gem’ lavender
‘Imperial Gem’ is an English lavender similar to ‘Hidcote’ but with slightly wider flower spikes and tidier foliage. Norfolk Lavender in the United Kingdom developed this variety. Plants grow 24 to 28 inches tall (60 to 70 cm) and are hardy in Zone 5 to 9.
‘Blueberry Ruffles’ lavender
‘Blueberry Ruffles’ is a Spanish lavender with blue-violet flowers reminiscent of blueberries. The ruffled sterile bracts at the top of each spike create an elegant effect. This variety works well for low hedges with uniform flowering height. Virginia McNaughton and Dennis Matthews bred this cultivar in New Zealand in 1997. Plants grow 24 to 28 inches tall (60 to 70 cm) and are hardy in Zone 8 to 9.
‘Thumbelina Leigh’ lavender
‘Thumbelina Leigh’ is a very compact lavender with purple flowers. This small variety is perfect for the front of borders, low hedges, and containers. Elsie Hall and Brian Hall of New Zealand bred this cultivar in the 1990s. Plants reach about 16 inches tall (40 cm) and are hardy in Zone 5 to 9.
‘Jean Davis’ lavender
‘Jean Davis’ is an English lavender with pale pink flowers. The pink blooms are somewhat spaced along each stem above gray-green foliage. Plants reach 24 to 28 inches tall (60 to 70 cm) and are particularly cold-hardy in Zone 4 to 9.
‘Silver Frost’ lavender
‘Silver Frost’ is a hybrid lavender with dark purple flowers and silvery-gray foliage. This variety works well as a hedging or edging plant. Andy Van Hevelingen of Hevelingen Herb Nursery in Oregon bred this cultivar. Plants grow 18 to 24 inches tall (45 to 60 cm) and are hardy in Zone 7 to 10.
‘Fairy Wings’ lavender
‘Fairy Wings’ is a large Spanish lavender with long pink petals on top of each flower spike. This variety works as a feature plant or in mixed flower borders and meadow plantings. James Compton of the United Kingdom bred this cultivar. Plants reach about 32 inches tall (80 cm) and are hardy in Zone 8 to 9.
‘Seal’ lavender
‘Seal’ is a tall lavandin with violet-blue flowers and a rounded habit. The gray-green foliage forms a bushy base. Plants grow 24 to 36 inches tall (60 to 90 cm) and are hardy in Zone 5 to 8.
‘Sharon Roberts’ lavender
‘Sharon Roberts’ is a versatile lavender with violet-blue flowers. This cultivar works as a garden ornamental and is also good for fragrant crafts and culinary use. Dr. Don Roberts of Premier Botanicals in Oregon bred this variety. Plants grow 24 to 28 inches tall (60 to 70 cm) and are hardy in Zone 5 to 8.
‘Van Gogh’ lavender
‘Van Gogh’ is a Spanish lavender with elegant green-white petals at the top of light blue-violet flower spikes. This variety works for low hedges or as a feature ornamental. Plants grow 24 to 28 inches tall (60 to 70 cm) and are hardy in Zone 8 to 9.
‘Rosea’ lavender
‘Rosea’ is an heirloom lavender with pink flowers. This compact variety works well as a low hedging plant. Plants grow 24 to 28 inches tall (60 to 70 cm) and are hardy in Zone 5 to 9. ‘Rosea’ is also sold as ‘Nana Rosea’ or ‘Pink’ lavender.
‘Hidcote Pink’ lavender
‘Hidcote Pink’ is another heritage variety from Major Lawrence Johnston’s estate garden in the United Kingdom. This remains one of the best pink lavenders for the garden. Flowers open soft pink and quickly fade to a pale blush tone. Plants grow about 28 inches tall (70 cm) and are hardy in Zone 5 to 9.
Growing lavender varieties
Most lavender varieties need full sun and well-drained soil. English lavender and lavandin types tolerate cold winters better than Spanish lavender. Plant lavender in spring after the last frost. Space plants 18 to 36 inches apart (45 to 90 cm) depending on the mature size of the variety. Water newly planted lavender regularly until roots are established. Mature plants tolerate drought well. Cut back lavender in early spring before new growth begins. Remove spent flower stems after blooming to encourage more flowers.
Most lavender varieties grow well in USDA Zone 5 to 9. Spanish lavender types grow in Zone 7 to 9. English lavender and lavandin varieties tolerate Zone 5 winters. Some cultivars like ‘Blue Cushion’ and ‘Jean Davis’ survive in Zone 4. Choose a variety that matches your climate zone. Consider starting with cold-hardy English lavender varieties like ‘Hidcote’ or ‘Munstead’ if you’re new to growing lavender.
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