Product Field NotesLavender Plants
Betty’s Blue Lavender: Straight Stems and a Gentle Scent
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Betty’s Blue lavender is an English lavender with excellent posture. Its mid-violet flowers, set off by dark violet calyces, are carried on straight, sturdy stems about 12 inches long. The plant is upright and compact, about two feet tall and wide, with blue-gray foliage that has a slight green cast. Unlike many lavenders, its fragrance is light and gentle.
It is Lavandula angustifolia 'Betty’s Blue', rated for zones 5a to 9b. It blooms from early June with a mid-June peak, and a lighter rebloom in fall has been reported.
Betty’s Blue at a glance
| Trait | What to expect |
|---|---|
| Botanical name | Lavandula angustifolia 'Betty’s Blue' |
| Flower color | Mid-violet to purple, with dark violet calyces |
| Foliage | Blue-gray to silver-gray with a green cast |
| Size | About 24 inches tall and 24 inches wide |
| Stems | About 12 inches, straight and sturdy |
| Bloom | Starts early June, peaks mid-June; lighter fall rebloom reported |
| Hardiness | USDA zones 5a to 9b |
| Fragrance | Mild, light and gentle |
| Culinary | Rated great |
Why stems matter for bundles
Anyone who has tied lavender bundles knows the frustration of crooked, floppy stems. Betty’s Blue grows them straight, which means neater bundles, cleaner wreaths and easier sorting. The dark calyces also hold color well after drying, so the bundles stay rich instead of fading to gray. It is rated good for cut and dried flowers.
For bundles, cut on a dry morning when about a third of each spike is open. Gather 50 to 100 stems, band them tightly with a rubber band and hang them upside down in a dark, airy place for one to two weeks.
A lavender for gentle-scent lovers
Some people love the look of lavender but find strong lavender scent too much indoors. Betty’s Blue's light, gentle fragrance makes it a good choice for bouquets on a dining table, bundles in a bedroom or plants next to a patio where you eat. It still smells like lavender, just quietly.
Planting and care
- Site: full sun, at least six to eight hours, in sandy or loamy soil that drains quickly.
- Spacing: about 24 inches apart.
- Water: regularly in the first season, then only in long dry spells.
- Winter chill: it needs a cold period to bloom well, and it is rated to zone 5a.
- Pruning: cut back after the June harvest, staying in leafy growth. That trim sets up the lighter fall bloom. See the Pruning Calendar.
- Feeding: little or none. Lean soil keeps stems straight.
In the kitchen
Betty’s Blue is rated great for culinary use. Its mild scent can be a plus in baking, where some lavenders overpower. Harvest buds when fully colored but before most flowers open, dry them in a shaded, airy place and use buds grown as a food crop. Start with a small amount and adjust to taste.
Choosing a plant format
It is offered as a 3-inch plug, a 4-inch pot or a 1-gallon pot. See the product page for current sizes and availability, and use Notify Me there if it is not available right now.
Frequently asked questions
Is Betty’s Blue actually blue?
Its flowers are mid-violet, recorded as purple, with darker calyces. The blue in the name is more poetic than literal.
Does it rebloom?
A lighter fall rebloom has been reported, especially after a prompt summer trim.
Is the scent strong enough for sachets?
It is mild. For strongly scented sachets, a lavandin or a strong-scented English lavender is a better choice.
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