Use & Care NotesLavender Plants
Dark Supreme Lavender: Deep Violet Spikes and Powerful Fragrance
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Dark Supreme lavender is the one to plant if fragrance is your top priority. Its scent is rated exceptional, a powerful, classic English lavender fragrance, and it comes from deep violet to dark blue-purple flowers held on clean, upright stems over gray-green foliage. You may also find it under its other name, 'W.K. Doyle'.
Botanically it is Lavandula angustifolia, so it brings the sweet, culinary-friendly character of English lavender in a compact, balanced shrub about 2 feet tall and wide.
Dark Supreme at a glance
| Trait | What to expect |
|---|---|
| Botanical name | Lavandula angustifolia 'Dark Supreme' (syn. 'W.K. Doyle') |
| Flower color | Deep violet to dark blue-purple |
| Foliage | Gray-green |
| Habit | Upright and compact |
| Mature size | About 24 inches tall and 24 inches wide |
| Bloom | Starts early June, peaks mid-July, moderate rebloom |
| Hardiness | Listed for USDA zones 5a to 9b; some sources rate it for zones 6 to 9 |
| Fragrance | Exceptional; powerful classic English lavender |
Planting for fragrance
A lavender with exceptional fragrance deserves a spot where people will actually smell it. A few ideas:
- Along a walkway: plants edging a path release scent every time someone brushes past.
- Beside a bench or patio: warm afternoons bring out the oils in the flowers and leaves.
- Under a sunny window: a breeze carries the scent indoors in July.
- By the door: a pair in large pots makes a fragrant welcome.
Its deep violet color is also one of the darkest among English lavenders, so it makes a strong contrast with white and pink cultivars. It is a great pollinator plant, and deer tend to leave it alone.
Site and soil
Give it full sun and soil that drains quickly. Sandy or loamy soils are ideal; clay should be raised or built into a berm. Space plants about 24 inches apart. As an English lavender, it needs a winter chill to bloom well.
The listing rates Dark Supreme for zones 5a to 9b, while some sources put it at zones 6 to 9. In colder gardens, that is a good reason to give it your sunniest, best-drained, most sheltered spot. Check your zone with the USDA Zone Finder.
Care through the year
- Water: deeply during the first season, then sparingly.
- Feeding: little to none. Lean soil concentrates fragrance and keeps stems upright.
- After the main bloom: shear spent stems and a bit of leafy growth to shape the plant and invite a second round.
- Pruning rule: never cut into bare wood.
- Winter: keep mulch and wet leaves off the crown.
For timing, see the Pruning Calendar.
Harvest and uses
Dark Supreme's best uses are listed as oil and fragrance, and it carries excellent oil suitability. That makes it a top pick for sachets, drawer bundles, potpourri and dried arrangements where scent is the goal. It is rated good for fresh and dried flowers, and the deep violet color holds well when dried in a dark, airy room.
It is also rated great for culinary use. With a fragrance this powerful, use the buds sparingly in baking. Harvest when buds are colored but before most flowers open, from plants grown as a food crop.
Formats offered
Dark Supreme is listed 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 if it is not ready yet.
Frequently asked questions
Is Dark Supreme the same as W.K. Doyle?
Yes. W.K. Doyle is listed as a synonym for the same lavender.
Is it the most fragrant lavender?
Its fragrance is rated exceptional, the top mark. Scent also varies with soil, sun and weather.
Will it rebloom?
It has moderate rebloom, especially after a light shearing following the first flush.
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