French lavender is an aromatic, woody subshrub with toothed gray-green foliage and dense flower spikes, here maintained in a topiary form. One of the most heat- and humidity-tolerant lavenders for the low desert. Needs excellent drainage.

Bloom Time

Spring to summer; often reblooms fall to winter in mild years

Deciduous / Evergreen

Evergreen

Special Features

Attracts Bees / Pollinators, Attracts Butterflies, Deer / Rabbit Resistant, Fragrant, Heat Tolerant

Growth Rate

Moderate

Growth Habit

Mounded – spreading shrub

Mature Size

2-3 ft tall × 2-3 ft wide

Flower Color

Purple to lavender

Foliage Color

Gray-green

Landscape Use

Border / Bed, Container / Patio, Edible / Orchard, Fragrance Garden, Specimen / Accent

Garden Style

Container / Patio, Edible Garden, Hedge / Formal, Pollinator / Wildlife

Soil

Sandy / Rocky, Well-Drained

Companion Plants

Desert marigold, Germander, Lantana, Rosemary, Salvia

Toxic — Pets

Toxic to pets (mild GI upset)

Care Instructions

Light: Full sun

Water: Low to moderate; deep watering, allowing soil to dry between waterings.

Soil: Well-draining, alkaline to neutral soil; tolerates poor, rocky soils. Avoid heavy clay.

Mature size: 2-3 ft tall, 2-3 ft wide

Bloom: Spring to summer; often reblooms fall to winter in mild years

Evergreen / deciduous: Evergreen

Growth rate: Moderate