Product Field NotesLavender Plants
Green Summer Lavender: A Small Spanish Lavender with Green Leaves
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Green Summer lavender is a compact Spanish lavender that breaks the gray-leaf habit. Its foliage is green, and against it the violet-blue flower heads, each topped with upright petals, look fresh and bright. The plant stays small and rounded, about 11 inches tall and 16 inches wide, with an upright, bushy shape.
It reblooms readily, so a pot of Green Summer keeps producing new heads through the warm months as long as you keep up with the snips.
Green Summer at a glance
| Trait | What to expect |
|---|---|
| Botanical name | Lavandula stoechas 'Green Summer' |
| Flowers | Violet-blue heads with flared top petals |
| Foliage | Green |
| Habit | Upright, bushy, compact and rounded |
| Mature size | About 11.4 inches tall and 16.3 inches wide |
| Bloom | Starts early May, peaks late May in warm climates, high rebloom |
| Hardiness | USDA zones 8a to 9b |
| Fragrance | Moderate; resinous and herbal |
Why a green-leaved lavender
Gray and silver are lovely, but a whole patio of them can look washed out. Green Summer's foliage gives a lush look that blends easily with annuals, herbs and other container plants. In a mixed pot it reads as a fresh, leafy plant with a crown of violet-blue, rather than a stand-alone silver accent.
Its small size makes it easy to place: window boxes, tabletop pots, the corner of a raised bed or a row of small pots along a sunny step.
Growing it in containers
- Pot: 8 to 10 inches wide with a drainage hole for one plant.
- Mix: fast-draining, with grit or perlite mixed in.
- Sun: six to eight hours or more of direct light.
- Water: when the top inch is dry. Pots on hot decks may need water every day or two in midsummer; drain well every time.
- Feeding: a light feeding in spring.
Deadheading for more heads
Rebloom is high. Cut faded heads back to the foliage weekly, and give the whole plant a light trim after each big flush to keep it rounded. Do not cut into old, leafless stems.
Winter options
Rated for zones 8a to 9b, Green Summer will not survive a cold winter outdoors. Bring the pot in before hard frost to a cool, bright window or a frost-free sunroom, water lightly and return it outdoors after your last frost. The Care Calendar keeps the seasons straight. Or enjoy it as a seasonal plant and replant next spring.
Uses
Green Summer rates good for fresh and dried flowers, so a few heads in a bud vase or a small dried bundle are easy wins. It is great for pollinators and deer resistant. It is not recommended for culinary use.
Plant sizes
Offered as 3-inch plugs, 4-inch pots and 1-gallon pots. See the product page for current sizes and availability.
Frequently asked questions
Does Green Summer have green flowers?
No. The name refers to its green foliage. The flowers are violet-blue.
How big will it get in a pot?
Its listed mature size is about 11 inches tall and 16 inches wide. In a single season in a cold climate, expect a plant on the smaller side of that.
Can I plant it in the ground in Michigan?
For a season, yes, in full sun and sharp drainage. It will not overwinter outdoors, so a container is the easier way to keep it.
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