LAVANDULA FRENCH GREY Lavender – White 17cm

Description

French Grey Lavender (White)
Lavandula dentata
Growing Conditions
SUNLIGHT
Full sun — minimum 6 hours of direct sunlight daily; becomes leggy and poorly flowering in shade
WATERING
Water deeply once per week during summer, reducing to once every 10–14 days in winter; allow soil to dry out completely between waterings; avoid overhead watering to prevent fungal issues
SOIL TYPE
Well-draining, sandy or gravelly loam with a slightly alkaline to neutral pH (6.5–7.5); amend heavy clay soils with coarse river sand and fine gravel to improve drainage
TEMPERATURE
–4°C to 38°C; tolerates mild frost but prolonged freezes below –5°C will damage growth; thrives in the warm, dry conditions of the South African Highveld and Western Cape
HUMIDITY
Prefers low humidity (below 50%); high humidity encourages root rot and grey mould — ensure good air circulation in humid coastal gardens
FERTILISING
Apply a low-nitrogen, phosphorus-rich fertiliser (e.g. 3:1:5 or superphosphate) once in early spring; avoid high-nitrogen feeds which promote lush foliage at the expense of flowers
GROWTH RATE
Moderate — typically reaches mature size within 2–3 seasons under South African growing conditions
MATURE SIZE
0.6m–0.9m tall x 0.6m–0.8m spread
Did You Know?
Lavandula dentata is one of the few lavender species to bloom almost year-round in South Africa’s climate rather than just seasonally — its toothed (dentate) leaf margins, which give it its Latin name, are actually scent glands that release fragrance when brushed, a defence mechanism evolved to deter browsing insects in its native Mediterranean scrubland.