Use & Care NotesLavender Plants
Curly Top Lavender: A Big Spanish Lavender in Plum and Purple
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Curly Top lavender is a Spanish lavender on a bigger scale than most. Where many Lavandula stoechas stay around a foot or two, Curly Top can reach about 3 feet tall and wide, a bushy mound crowded with flower heads in dark purple, reddish purple and plum. Each head wears the signature Spanish lavender flags, and the plant keeps producing new ones through the warm season.
The scent is bold: resinous, herbal and camphor-rich, with eucalyptus-like notes. It is the kind of fragrance you notice from the sidewalk.
Curly Top at a glance
| Trait | What to expect |
|---|---|
| Botanical name | Lavandula stoechas 'Curly Top' |
| Flower color | Dark purple, reddish purple and plum |
| Foliage | Gray-green |
| Habit | Bushy and full |
| Mature size | About 36 inches tall and 36 inches wide |
| Bloom | Starts early May, peaks late May in warm climates, high rebloom |
| Hardiness | USDA zones 7a to 9b |
| Fragrance | Strong; resinous, herbal and camphor-rich |
| Culinary use | Not recommended |
A statement plant for warm spots
Its size changes how you can use a Spanish lavender. In zones 7a to 9b, Curly Top can anchor a gravel garden, line a hot, dry driveway or fill a sunny slope where little else thrives. Its rich plum and reddish tones look striking next to silver foliage, chartreuse grasses and pale stone.
In cold-winter regions, it makes a bold specimen in a large container on a south-facing patio. One big pot of Curly Top does the visual work of several smaller lavenders. Pollinators visit it heavily, and deer tend to leave it alone.
Container growing in cold climates
- Pot size: choose a large container, since this plant can grow big. Make sure it has drainage holes.
- Mix: gritty and fast-draining. Add coarse grit to a regular potting mix if needed.
- Placement: full sun, the hotter the better. A wheeled plant caddy makes the winter move much easier on your back.
- Watering: soak, then let the top few inches dry before watering again.
- Winter: before hard freezes, move it into a bright, cool, frost-free space and water sparingly until spring.
Spanish lavender does not need a winter chill to bloom, so it flowers soon after planting. Use the Frost Date Estimator to time its spring return outdoors.
Keeping it full and flowering
Its high rebloom rating pays off when you deadhead. Snip faded heads back to the foliage regularly, and after a big flush give the whole plant a light shearing to keep it dense. A large Spanish lavender can get woody and open if left alone for years, so steady, light trims are better than one hard cut. Avoid cutting into bare wood.
Flowers and uses
Curly Top is rated good for fresh-cut flowers and fair for drying. Its listed best uses are fragrance and u-pick style large bundles, which makes sense on a plant this size. Cut a generous handful for a vase in late spring. Culinary use is not recommended, so keep it in the garden and the jar, not the mixing bowl.
Formats offered
Curly Top is listed as a 3-inch plug, a 4-inch pot or a 1-gallon pot. A gallon plant gives a big container a strong start. See the product page for current sizes and availability, and use Notify Me if it is not ready yet.
Frequently asked questions
How big does Curly Top get?
About 36 inches tall and wide, large for a Spanish lavender.
Can it stay outdoors in Michigan?
It is rated for zones 7a to 9b, so in most of Michigan it needs winter protection indoors.
What color is it exactly?
Its blooms range through dark purple, reddish purple and plum.
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