There are numerous species and varieties of lavender. Selecting a suitable lavender variety is important because lavender dislikes humidity and heat but tolerates drought.
I will introduce you to the five most drought-tolerant varieties of lavender before showing you which ones are best suited to your area, how to identify them, and how to grow them!
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5 Drought Tolerant Lavender Varieties
Five types of lavender are the most drought-tolerant varieties, although there are others. I’ll discuss the characteristics and how to tell them apart with pictures!
[1] English Lavender
The English lavender in the picture, which is also known as Angustifolia, is the most widely used variety in the world. It’s also called Common Lavender or Intrinsic Lavender.
Because of its high cold resistance, it does not perform well in the United States’ humid summers. There are also a number of smaller species, the smallest being about 20 cm tall.
It’s a lavender that has a wide range of medicinal uses and is widely cultivated.
It is used mainly as a condiment and to prepare infusions to calm anxiety.
It’s stunning and compels you to go out and take a picture of it at least once. (Source)
Lavender has a strong fragrance. It is suitable for indulging in the fragrance of lavender. So, it is also used as a perfume ingredient.
[2] French Lavender
There are several other names for this plant as well. Garden stores frequently sell them as “French lavender,” a trendy name for them.
There’s something striking about the flowers of this lavender species — they’re shaped like a square spike. It has a reddish or purple hue.
It has gray-green leaves. It has a maximum height of one meter.
It is semi-hardy and relatively easy to cultivate, even in hot climates.
The flowers will bloom vigorously even in Florida, depending on how you grow them, but you will need to devise ways to keep the plants from becoming stuffy.
So, in places like California, Arizona, New Mexico, Utah, Oregon, Washington, Idaho, and Montana where the climate is particularly harsh and dry, it may be necessary to stick with French.
There is a part that pops out at the tip of the flower, as shown in the photo, giving it a distinct appearance. The flowering period is long, and the growth is rapid.
It has a light but pleasant aroma. The ornamental use is in high demand.
[3] Lavandula Dentata
It is native to the Mediterranean. It gets its name from the fact that its leaves resemble teeth and are grayish-green in color.
It grows well in limestone soils and can reach a height of 1.5 meters. Its flowers resemble a mauve spike.
It is primarily used as a decoration, but it is also used in perfumes and to relieve stomach pains.
It is a four-season flowering plant that tolerates heat well but not cold. The stems are thick, large, and sturdy. You can easily propagate this lavender by taking cuttings.
It’s easy to confuse these flowers with those of the French variety because they look so similar.
[4] Lavandula Hybrida (Lavandin)
It is a cross between Lavandula angustifolia and Lavandula latifolia. It is distinguished by its large flowers.
It is grown for its medicinal properties, and essential oil is extracted to treat stings, wounds, and burns topically.
[5] Lavandula Stoechas
This lavender species is notable for its flowers, which are shaped like a square spike. It’s purple or even reddish in color.
It has grayish-green leaves. It can reach a height of one meter. It is native species to the Mediterranean. It is antispasmodic and is used as an infusion to relieve stomach symptoms.
How to Grow Lavender
If you buy seedlings, choose the ones with glossy leaves. If you want to grow your own seeds, sow them in spring or early summer. However, germination is quite slow.
Plant the seedlings in early fall when they are about 10 cm in size. Leave a space of about 50 cm between plants to allow for air circulation.
Before winter, I advise trimming them above the buds at the base of the plant.
Grow In a Dry Environment
If you plant it directly in the ground, it will only grow with rainwater and will not need to be watered.
Only water potted plants when the soil is arid. Lavender is a drought-tolerant plant. It grows best in a dry climate.
Only Use A Small Amount Of Fertilizer
Lavender dislikes too much supply of fertilizer. To go thriving lavender, only a modest amount of fertilizer is required. During the summer and fall, avoid fertilizing.
Harvesting Lavender
Harvest the flowers before they are completely bloomed if you want to make dried flowers or potpourri.
When the flowers are just starting to bloom, they are the most fragrant and suitable for processing.
It may be painful to cut the flowers before they fully bloom but do so at two or three nodes from the base, leaving four to six leaves.
New shoots will emerge from the leafless area below if the leaves are harvested. The goal is to complete the work by the middle of the summer.
Lavender does not like to be pruned in the summer, so doing so can cause the plant to become unstable and eventually die.
How do you make lavender Last longer?
If you want your lavender to last longer, keep it in a cool, dry place.
If you want your lavender to grow well the following year, remove the flowers as soon as possible, even if you don’t plan to harvest them.
It may appear pathetic, but it will keep the plant from deteriorating. Cut the flowers off as soon as they finish blooming if you want to admire them.
Pruning In Winter
It’s a good idea to do some pruning in cold areas before the snowfalls. This is done to keep the branches from snapping under the weight of the snow.
Pruning too late may kill the plants, so please do it by November or early December.
Lavender is very cold tolerant, but it is best to take precautions against the cold in extremely cold climates (depending on the variety).
Summer Pruning
Spring pruning is done in March as the shoots start to move.
This is very important work, otherwise, the plants may wither due to heat.
If the time is delayed to April, the flower stalks may become smaller, so do it as soon as possible.
Use pruning shears to cut off the remaining two or three nodes, just as you did when harvesting.
Winter pruning is more likely to kill the plant if it is done too hard, but it will tolerate hard pruning this time of year.
Other Precautions
Lavender Hates Repotting
Lavender dislikes being repotted. It is a delicate plant that can die with even the slightest change in its environment, so try not to repot it. If you must repot the plant, prune it to make it more compact before doing so.
Just Keep An Eye Out For Humidity Level
Summer heat and humidity are lavender’s worst enemies.
It is critical to harvest the flowers, treat them after flowering, and prune them as much as possible to avoid creating a humid environment.
The plant will die if it is left neglected and has poor air circulation.
You should move them to a cooler location during the summer if you are growing them in pots.
However, if the plants do not receive enough sunlight, they will become soft, so keep them in a sunny location.
Which Lavenders Are Easy To Grow In Your Area?
I discussed the five types of drought-resistant lavender, as well as how to identify and grow them.
Lavender does not grow well in heat and humidity, but if you choose a heat-tolerant variety, you can grow this in areas like Northern California, Western Nevada, Idaho, Oregon, and Washington.
Did you already know about these lavender varieties? What plants from this list are you considering bringing into your house?