Product Field NotesLavender Plants
Blue Scent Lavender: Blue Spikes from Midsummer into August
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Blue Scent lavender is a compact, bushy English lavender with flowers that lean truly blue to blue-violet. It starts blooming in mid-June and keeps going, with its peak arriving in early August, so it covers a long stretch of the summer with color and a strong, sweet fragrance.
You may also see it listed as 'Syngablusc'. Unlike many English lavenders, it does not need a winter chill to flower, which makes it an easy plant to enjoy in its very first season.
Blue Scent at a glance
| Trait | What to expect |
|---|---|
| Botanical name | Lavandula angustifolia 'Blue Scent' (syn. 'Syngablusc') |
| Flower color | Blue to blue-violet |
| Flower spikes | About 2 inches long |
| Foliage | Gray-green |
| Habit | Compact and bushy |
| Mature size | About 20 inches tall and 24 inches wide |
| Bloom | Starts mid-June, peaks early August, moderate rebloom |
| Winter chill to bloom | Not required |
| Hardiness | USDA zones 5a to 9b |
| Fragrance | Strong, sweet and floral |
What "no chill needed" means for you
Many English lavenders need a stretch of winter cold, called vernalization, before they set a full crop of flowers. Blue Scent does not. In practice that means a spring planting can flower the same summer, and it is a reliable choice for containers, gift plants and gardens in milder regions, while still being hardy enough for Michigan winters in well-drained soil.
Where it fits
At about 2 feet tall and wide, Blue Scent is a front-of-border plant. Use it to edge a sunny walk, fill a large patio pot, or tuck it into an herb garden near the kitchen door. Its blue tone sits well beside white flowers, silver foliage and soft yellow perennials, and it looks cooler and calmer than red-purple lavenders.
It is a strong pollinator plant, and deer tend to leave it alone.
Planting and care
- Sun: six to eight hours or more of direct sun.
- Soil: fast-draining sandy or loamy soil. Raise beds in clay.
- Spacing: about 18 to 24 inches apart, with room for air to move.
- Water: deeply during establishment, then sparingly. Overwatering is the most common mistake.
- Feeding: little or none.
- Trimming: deadhead or lightly shear after each flush to keep it tidy and flowering. Stay in the leafy growth and avoid bare wood.
- Containers: use a gritty mix and a pot with a drainage hole, and do not let it sit in a saucer of water.
The Plant Care Guide covers the basics in more detail.
Harvesting and using it
As an English lavender, Blue Scent is rated great for culinary use. Its sweet, low-camphor scent carries into flavor, so it is a good candidate for lavender sugar or shortbread. Harvest buds as they color but before most flowers open, dry them in the shade and use a light hand, from plants grown as a food crop.
It is rated good for fresh and dried flowers. The short, 2-inch spikes are best for small posies, sachets and potpourri.
Formats offered
Choose a 3-inch plug, a 4-inch pot or a 1-gallon pot. Because it blooms without a chill, a gallon pot can give you flowers quickly. See the product page for current sizes and availability, and use Notify Me there if it is not ready yet.
Frequently asked questions
Will Blue Scent bloom the first year?
It does not require a winter chill to flower, so first-season bloom is very possible when it gets enough sun and good drainage.
Is it truly blue?
Its flowers are described as blue to blue-violet, cooler in tone than many purple lavenders.
Does it survive Michigan winters?
It is rated for zones 5a to 9b. Sharp drainage and a dry crown are what carry lavender through a wet winter.
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