French Lavender

Lavandula dentata

Light

Full sun (afternoon shade in low desert)

Water

Low to moderate water once established; water deeply, then let soil dry substantially before watering again. Needs supplemental irrigation during Phoenix summers; avoid frequent shallow watering.

Size

2-3 ft tall × 2-4 ft wide

Habit

Mounded – spreading shrub

Toxicity

Toxic — Pets

Description

An aromatic Mediterranean shrub with finely toothed, gray-green leaves and lavender-purple flower spikes topped with small petal-like bracts.

Bloom Time

Nearly year-round in mild winters / heaviest spring and fall

Deciduous / Evergreen

Evergreen

Special Features

Attracts Bees / Pollinators, Attracts Butterflies, Drought Tolerant, Fragrant

Growth Rate

Moderate

Growth Habit

Mounded – spreading shrub

Mature Size

2-3 ft tall × 2-4 ft wide

Flower Color

Lavender-purple

Foliage Color

Gray-green

Landscape Use

Border / Bed, Container / Patio, Desert / Xeriscape, Edible / Orchard, Hedge / Screen, Pollinator / Wildlife Garden

Garden Style

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

Soil

Alkaline Tolerant, Sandy / Rocky, Well-Drained

Companion Plants

Autumn sage, Desert marigold, Germander, Rosemary

Toxic — Pets

Toxic to pets (mild GI upset)

Care Instructions

Light: Morning sun with afternoon shade in Phoenix; avoid intense reflected heat from walls and pavement.

Water: Low to moderate water once established; water deeply, then let soil dry substantially before watering again. Needs supplemental irrigation during Phoenix summers; avoid frequent shallow watering.

Soil: Very well-drained, sandy or gravelly soil; tolerates alkaline conditions. Use raised beds or containers where native soil drains poorly.

Mature size: 2–3 feet tall and 3–4 feet wide.

Bloom: Primarily fall through spring in Phoenix; flowering often slows or stops during extreme summer heat.

Evergreen / deciduous: Evergreen; foliage may be damaged by hard freezes.

Growth rate: Moderate.