Use & Care NotesLavender Plants
Dusky Maiden Lavender: A Compact French Lavender for Fragrant Pots
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Dusky Maiden lavender is a compact French lavender that packs its fragrance into a tidy, bushy mound about 18 inches tall and wide. Its purple-blue flowers bloom almost nonstop in warm weather, and its gray-green, toothed leaves release an exceptional fresh, herbal scent with eucalyptus-like notes whenever they are touched.
Botanically it is Lavandula dentata, the fringed or toothed lavender. It is a warm-climate plant that needs protection in cold, wet winters, which makes it a natural for containers in the Great Lakes region.
Dusky Maiden at a glance
| Trait | What to expect |
|---|---|
| Botanical name | Lavandula dentata 'Dusky Maiden' |
| Flower color | Purple-blue |
| Foliage | Gray-green with toothed edges |
| Habit | Compact and bushy |
| Mature size | About 18 inches tall and 18 inches wide |
| Bloom | Everblooming; year-round in warm climates, peaking around mid-July |
| Hardiness | USDA zones 7b to 10b |
| Fragrance | Exceptional; fresh, herbal, eucalyptus-like |
| Culinary use | Not recommended |
Building a fragrant container
Dusky Maiden's compact size makes it an easy centerpiece for a 12- to 14-inch pot, or a fragrant anchor in a larger mixed planter. Put it where hands and legs will brush it: beside the front steps, at the corner of a deck or next to a favorite chair. Its scent comes from the leaves as much as the flowers, so it keeps giving even between flushes.
For companions, choose plants that like the same lean, dry conditions: trailing rosemary, creeping thyme, silver-leaved spillers or sun-loving succulents. Skip thirsty annuals that need daily watering.
Summer care outdoors
- Light: full sun.
- Mix: gritty and fast-draining, in a pot with drainage holes.
- Water: thoroughly, then let the top inch or two dry. Never leave it standing in a saucer.
- Feeding: a light feeding once or twice in summer is plenty.
- Grooming: snip spent flower stems back to the foliage. It does not need a winter chill to bloom, so it keeps producing.
Bringing it indoors for winter
Before the first frost, check the plant for hitchhiking insects, then move it to your brightest window, ideally in a cool room. Water sparingly over winter, only when the mix is dry an inch or two down. Some legginess indoors is normal; a light trim in spring tidies it up before it heads back outside. Return it outdoors gradually after the last frost. The Frost Date Estimator helps you pick the week.
In zones 7b to 10b, it can stay in a sunny, well-drained bed year-round, though cold, wet spells may still call for protection.
Flowers and uses
Dusky Maiden is rated fair for cut and dried flowers, so its main role is as a living fragrance plant. Its listed best use is fragrance, and its oil suitability is rated great. A few fresh sprigs in a small glass on a windowsill are lovely. Culinary use is not recommended. Outdoors it is a great pollinator plant, and deer tend to leave it alone.
Formats offered
Dusky Maiden 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
How is Dusky Maiden different from Candicans?
Both are French lavenders with exceptional fragrance. Dusky Maiden is a compact mound with purple-blue flowers and gray-green leaves, while Candicans has blue flowers and more silvery foliage.
Can I keep it as a houseplant all year?
It does best outdoors in full sun during the warm months, then indoors in a bright, cool spot for winter.
Does it need cold to bloom?
No. It blooms without a winter chill.
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