Different Types of Lavender: Which Variety is Most Fragrant?
A popular plant all over the world is lavender. There are 47 different species of lavender, with the three most popular being English Lavender (Lavandula angustifolia), Lavandin (Lavandula x intermedia), and Spanish Lavender (Lavandula stoechas).
Within the 47 different species of lavender around 450 varieties exist. Some are used to get the essential oils that are used in medicine or floral air sprays. Others are used to make flower arrangements, landscape, or cook.
Are you looking for the most fragrant variety of lavender? In this article, we will find out which type of lavender is best for its scent. We will explain why different types of lavender can have varying levels of fragrance and which one stands out among the rest.
Whether you choose to use it in your garden or as part of a recipe, understanding the different varieties of this plant can help you make an informed choice.
What Are the Different Types of Lavender?
English Lavender
- Royal Velvet – This is a landscaping lavender that blooms twice, once in late spring or early summer and again after the first batch are cut. Royal Velvet is a perennial lavender plant that grows about 24-30″ high and 30-36″ wide.
- Folgate – This is a large variety about 36″x36″ and is well known for its sweet aroma, great oil production, and use in culinary dishes.
- Hidcote – This is a popular medium sized landscaping plant that produces long lasting blue/purple spiked flowers on top of a somewhat aqua green foliage.
- Melissa – This lavender plant blooms with white flowers that gradually turn pink. It blooms early and for a long time and is known to be very sweet.
- Loddon Blue – This is a semi-dwarf lavender plant that grows to around a foot high and 18-24″ wide. It has deep blue flowers and fits well in containers.
- Sachet – This is another smaller lavender plant that grows 12″ tall and 18-24″ wide. It’s named sachet because it has a sweet fragrance that when put into sachet bags can make clothing smell good.
- Mitcham Gray – This variety grows 24″ tall and 24-28″ wide.
Lavandins
- Grosso – This is a medium sized flower that grows 16-20″ tall and about 24-36″ wide. It has dark purple flowers that bloom in mid-summer and have a strong fragrance.
- Provence – This flower grows 12-18″ tall and has dark purple flowers with a strong fragrance.
- Fred Boutin – This plant is a great landscaping plant. It’s very hardy and stays green throughout the winter. It blooms late in the summer and into the fall.
- Dutch Mill – This is a big lavender growing to 24-30″ tall and 36-48″ wide. The flower heads are large and look great in bouquets.
Spanish Lavender
- Otto Quast – This plant stands about 24″ high and has red, purple, and pink flower heads. It will bloom from spring to fall.
- Silver Frost – Standing 12-18″ tall with a spread of 24-36″ this is a great landscaping plant. It gets its name from the coat of silver fur on the foliage and dark purple flowers.
- Dark Eyes – This is another one with grey-green foliage and a pinecone shaped head that is a dark red/purple color. It will bloom continuously from spring to fall.
Which Is the Most Fragrant Lavender?
There are many different varieties of lavender available, and each one has its own unique characteristics. Some varieties are more fragrant than others, and choosing the most fragrant variety can be an important factor when growing lavender for its scent.
Lavandula intermedia is the most fragrant species of lavender. Lavandin is a cross between L. angustifolia and L. latifolia. This species blooms from the middle to the end of summer and is well known for its high oil production as well as its utility as a landscaping plant.
While Lavandin is known for being a high quantity oil producer, English lavender, the species angustifolia, is known for producing higher quality oil.
Another lavender variety known for its fragrance is Lavandula angustifolia, also known as English lavender. This variety is from the Mediterranean area, and its sweet, flowery smell is well-known. English lavender is often used to make perfumes, essential oils, and other products that smell good.
Another highly fragrant variety of lavender is Lavandula stoechas, also known as Spanish lavender. This variety has a strong, camphor-like scent that is less sweet than the scent of English lavender. Lavender from Spain is also from the Mediterranean region, and it is often used in perfumes and other products that smell good.
Why Do Some Lavender Varieties Have a Stronger Smell?
One reason why some lavender varieties have a stronger smell is due to the presence of certain chemicals in the plant’s essential oils.
Lavender’s flowers, leaves, and stems all make essential oils. These oils contain different chemicals that give the plant its smell.
Some types of lavender have higher levels of chemicals like linalool and linalyl acetate in their essential oils, which can make the plant smell stronger.
Another reason why some lavender varieties have a stronger smell is due to differences in the plant’s genetics. Over time, different types of lavender have been bred to have different qualities, such as differences in the amount and make-up of their essential oils.
This means that some types naturally make more or less of some chemicals, which can make the smell stronger or weaker.
Finally, the age and condition of the lavender plants can also affect their smell. As lavender plants get older, they may make less of their essential oil, which can make them smell less strong.
Which Type of Lavender is Best?
The best type of lavender to grow depends on the use you intend for it as well as your own personal preference. Some types of lavender are best for cutting, others to make essential oils with, and some are better for landscaping.
When deciding which lavender variety to choose, decide what use you will put the plant to, and then go from there.
What’s the Best Landscaping Lavender?
There are several factors to consider when selecting a lavender plant for your garden. Personal preference, growing zone, and the bloom period of the flower or flowers you choose to grow are all factors to consider.
Choosing a flower that will bloom from spring to fall is a good choice for a landscaping plant. Most lavender plants grow as annuals in zones 5-8 and as biennials in northern climates.
