Early Blooming Lavender Plants

Early Blooming Lavender Plants: Selecting the Best for Your Garden

Lavender is a beloved plant for its fragrant flowers, versatility, and ability to thrive in various climates. Choosing the right lavender varieties can ensure early blooms in your garden, filling your landscape with color and fragrance from spring through summer.

There are four main types of lavender with different blooming seasons: English Lavender (Lavandula angustifolia), French Lavender (Lavandula dentata), Spanish Lavender (Lavandula stoechas), and Lavandin (Lavandula x intermedia).

Some lavenders bloom early in the season, with their magnificent flowers appearing as early as spring, while others bloom later in midsummer.

Types of Early Blooming Lavender Flowers

Spanish Lavender (Lavandula stoechas)

This lavender variety is recognized by its unique and showy flower spikes, topped with “ears” of colorful bracts that resemble butterflies fluttering above the flowers. Spanish lavender is not only attractive but also known for its early blooms, making it a favorite among gardeners who want to see color early in the season.

• Blooming Time: Spanish lavender is one of the earliest bloomers, typically flowering as early as April or May in mild climates, such as California, and continuing to produce flowers throughout the summer with intermittent blooms in the fall.
• Planting: Spanish lavender thrives in hot, dry conditions and is less cold-hardy than other types (hardy in zones 8-9). It is a perfect choice for mass plantings, containers, or as accents in Mediterranean-style gardens.
• Care: Ensure well-drained soil and full sun exposure. Spanish lavender is drought-tolerant once established, making it ideal for xeriscaping.

English Lavender (Lavandula angustifolia)

English lavender is prized for its high-quality essential oil and sweet fragrance. It is a classic favorite in herb gardens and ornamental landscapes alike. While English lavender typically blooms later than Spanish lavender, several cultivars are known to flower early in the season, making them a valuable addition for early color.

• Blooming Time: English lavender varieties typically bloom in June or July, but some early-blooming cultivars can begin flowering as early as May. These early-blooming varieties, such as ‘Folgate’ and ‘Lavenite Petite,’ are particularly valued for extending the lavender season.
• Planting: English lavender is highly versatile, fitting well in formal borders, cottage gardens, rock gardens, and herb gardens. It also makes an excellent low hedge or edging along walkways.
• Care: Hardy in zones 5-9, English lavender prefers full sun and well-drained soil. It thrives in cooler climates and benefits from regular pruning to maintain shape and promote new blooms.

French Lavender (Lavandula dentata)

Often confused with Spanish lavender due to its shared common name, French lavender has distinctive serrated, or “toothed,” leaves and produces lavender-blue flowers throughout the growing season. While not as fragrant as English lavender, French lavender is valued for its long bloom time and ornamental appeal.

• Blooming Time: French lavender is a prolific bloomer that starts flowering in spring, typically around April or May, and continues to bloom intermittently through fall, particularly in warmer climates.
• Planting: French lavender is less cold-hardy than English lavender (hardy in zones 8-11), making it ideal for warmer regions. It thrives in containers, Mediterranean-style gardens, and mass plantings, adding continuous color and texture to the landscape.
• Care: French lavender prefers full sun and well-drained soil. It’s more tolerant of heat and humidity than other lavenders but requires protection in cooler climates.