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GREY FRENCH LAVENDER
Lavandula dentata var. candicans
Lavandula dentata var. candicans bears pale lavender-blue flower spikes, each topped with a lavender coloured crown.
They are such plump and generous flower spikes, each tightly packed with buds and perfect for harvesting.
Plump & generous flowers plus grey foliage
Lavandula dentata var. candicans also stands out from the herd because of its lovely ash-grey foliage colour, more silver and with larger leaflets than most other forms of French Lavender.
Otherwise it is just as hardy, easy to grow, and useful as all its other cousins.
Though it is also reputed to be amongst the most frost proof of all the French Lavenders and a more robust plant than the original French Lavender.
Chubby in a pot
Lavandula dentata var. candicans has a chubby growth habit, wider than it is high.
So it makes an attractive pudding shape in a pot.
And is always on duty with long, almost constant blooming and cool ash-grey foliage.
Dense hedge
It also makes an excellent barrier or dividing hedge because of the dense, broad growth.
Perfumed flowers and scented foliage
Both the flowers and foliage are delightfully scented, with the perfume of lavender mixed with fresh, herbal camphor undertones.
Winter treat of flowers & scent
French Lavenders are marvellous winter treats as they are long blooming through winter and spring, with repeats of flower through the rest of the year too.
Useful & tasty
Lavandula dentata var. candicans is a great stalwart in the garden, but it is also very useful in the kitchen and around the home.
Rub fresh buds from the flower spikes and scatter them sparingly in salads for colour, texture and flavour.
Great bunches of fresh flowers can be cut for vases to fragrance your room, where the plump spikes make it an excellent cut flower variety.
Both flowers and foliage can be dried for use in pot-pourri and insect repelling sachets.
The foliage is wonderfully fragrant even when dried.
So, it can be added to pot-pourri and sachets, where it adds a hint of herbs, as well as lavender.
Oil and dried flowers can be used sparingly in cuisine, and both flowers and foliage are valued ingredients for cosmetics, soaps, scrubs, aroma therapy and bath products.
Just rub the fresh foliage between your hands, and then massage your temples to soothe and refresh, or throw some fresh foliage into the water as you run a relaxing bath.
Tough and water-wise
A position in full sun to part shade is perfect for Lavandula dentata var. candicans.
It loves an airy or windy spot, with well drained, gravel or sandy soil; and is reputed to be amongst the most frost proof and heat resistant of all French Lavenders.
So, it is perfect for coastal gardeners and those with hotter and drier conditions.
It can thrive with minimal extra watering and is naturally adapted to cope with summer heat, with its light reflecting, grey, downy foliage.
Easy care & low maintenance
Lavandula dentata var. candicans is a low maintenance shrub.
Though you can shape or re-size by shearing back after flowering (if you can ever catch it out of flower).
It prefers to grow a little on the lean and mean side (making it more aromatic too).
So do not overfertilize. Just a light feed in spring, or after an annual prune is usually enough.
Lavandula dentata var candicans also really appreciates a dressing of dolomite lime once a year.
Rarely if ever troubled by pests
French Lavenders are rarely if ever troubled by pests and diseases, and even rabbits prefer to chew on other things. Probably because of the concentration of aromatic essential oils in the foliage.
Though our helpful little friends the bees and other pollinating insects, adore the almost constant procession of nectar rich flowers, especially in the winter when other flowers are scarce.
GROWING: Lavandula dentata var. candicans
Height with flowers: 1m. approx.
Width: Rounded 1.1m. wide approx.
Bloom Season: Winter and early spring are the main blooming seasons, but it is not unusual for flowers to occur throughout the year.
Fragrance: Both flowers and foliage are perfumed with the scent of lavender, with refreshing herbal and camphor undertones.
Cut flowers: Blooms make excellent cut flowers for fresh vases or dried purposes.
Where to plant
Position: Full sun to a little partial shade, provided the shade is well aired and not damp.
Enjoys windy, exposed locations.
Suitable for coastal planting.
Well suited to pots
Water: Water-wise. Requires occasional, minimal to average garden watering. Do not overwater or keep wet.
Frost: Usually tolerates frost down to approx. minus 10-15 °C, depending on conditions. Best in a well-drained and well aired position.
Soil: Prefers soils that have very good drainage. Appreciates sandy, gravel or rocky soils. Heavy clay or boggy soils can be fatal unless the plant is raised.
Care
Growth: Evergreen. A naturally rounded and compact shrub when grown in preferred conditions.
Care & Maintenance: Easy care, low maintenance.
Pests & Diseases: Rarely troubled by pests or diseases.
Pruning: Accepts pruning well. Best to re-shape or re-size after the main flowering season. And cut back by at least 1/3, or to the lowest fresh shoots.
Fertilizer: Do not over-fertilize. Quality fertilizer, such as Powerfeed, can be applied sparingly in spring. This plant is not a heavy feeder, and actually performs better if it is not over-fed.
We recommend to water in with Seasol at planting.
Container: Hardy, easy and ideal in a pot.
Bees, Pests & Diseases
Bees, Birds & Pollinators: Bees and other beneficial pollinating insects find its flowers a great source of nectar and sustenance. Lavandula dentata is especially useful to bees because of its long winter flowering peak, when other flowers are scarce for the bees.
Insect repellent: Flies, mosquitoes, moths and even midges are said to be deterred by the aroma of Lavandula dentata. It is an old country practice to rub your table and chairs with handfuls of Lavender foliage before dining outdoors. At the very least it smells delicious.
Rabbits & Deer Resistance: Lavandula dentata is not attractive to chewing pests because of the high concentration of essential oils in both flowers and foliage.
Pet Friendly: No known ill effects for pets.
Herbal & History
Herbal uses: Lavandula dentata has a long history of use as a traditional healing herb.
In the past it has been a traditional medicine for relieving headaches and rheumatism.
And it is still popular today to make a vapour for relieving the congestion of colds and flu.
The oil is widely used in modern aromatherapy for calming, relieving tension and promoting sleep, as well as in home- made or commercial cosmetics, beauty treatments and bath products.
It is simple to place the leaves and flowers in boiling water to create an aromatic steam or bath.
History: Lavandula dentata is native to many areas around the Mediterranean and in the Middle East.
So no wonder it is naturally resistant to heat, periods of dry, and exposed positions.
It was an essential for the ancient Egyptians as part of their mummification procedures; and a favourite amongst the pleasure loving ancient Romans two thousand years ago, for luxurious bathing and perfumery.
During less fragrant eras in the Middle Ages when bathing was considered reckless and dangerous, Lavandula dentata was prized as a strewing herb in an effort to subdue the smells and keep the lice at bay
Quarantine Restriction: Lavandula dentata var. candicans can be shipped to all states from Di’s Delightful Plants - one of Australia’s largest on-line nursery and mail order plant services.
Bulk Discount
If you buy 3-6 plants there will be a $0.50 discount per plant"
If you buy 7+ plants there will be a $1.00 discount per plant
Plants on Special are excluded
