Product Field NotesLavender Plants
IB61016 Lavender: Dark Purple Blooms on a Seven-Inch Mound
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IB61016 lavender is a low, slightly wider-than-tall Spanish lavender with dark purple flowers topped by purplish-violet bracts. It grows to only about 7 inches tall and 7 to 8 inches across, so it behaves more like a flowering cushion than a shrub.
It is a Lavandula stoechas subsp. pedunculata selection, rated for USDA zones 8a to 10b, with a high rebloom rating. In West Michigan that means a container plant or a generous summer annual. It is small, but it does not sit still.
IB61016 at a glance
| Trait | What to expect |
|---|---|
| Botanical name | Lavandula stoechas subsp. pedunculata 'IB61016' |
| Flower color | Dark purple flowers with purplish-violet bracts |
| Foliage | Green, compact, upright and bushy |
| Size | About 7 inches tall and 7.6 inches wide |
| Stems and spikes | Short stems, around 2 inches, with flower heads under an inch long |
| Bloom | Spring into early summer, with high rebloom |
| Hardiness | USDA zones 8a to 10b (annual in Michigan) |
| Fragrance | Moderate; resinous, aromatic and pungent |
A lavender for tight spaces
Most lavenders need elbow room. IB61016 is one of the few that fits the narrow gaps: between pavers on a sunny patio edge, along the rim of a big mixed planter or in a row of small pots on a railing. Because the flower stems are short, the blooms sit close to the leaves and the whole plant reads as a dense dome of color.
Dark purple is the most forgiving lavender color for design. It anchors pale pink or white Spanish lavenders in the same bowl and stands out against light stone, weathered wood or a white pot.
Planting it right
Start with drainage. In containers, use a pot with holes and a mix lightened with grit or perlite. In the ground, plant it high, on a slope or in a raised edge, and keep heavy mulch and wet leaves away from the crown. Full sun, six hours at the very least, keeps it tight and flowering.
Set plants out after your last frost and water them in well. Check your zone and dates with the USDA Zone Finder before you decide between annual and overwintered pot.
Getting the most rebloom
- Deadhead: once a flower head browns, clip it back to the leaves below. New buds follow quickly on a well-fed, sunny plant.
- Water: deeply, then not again until the top inch is dry. Small pots dry fast in July, so check them more often.
- Feed lightly: an occasional weak feeding in containers is plenty. Rich soil means leaves instead of flowers.
- Trim: after a big flush, a light haircut keeps the mound even. Avoid cutting into bare woody stems.
Bringing it through winter
Outdoors in Michigan, IB61016 is finished at the first hard freeze. To keep it, move the pot indoors ahead of that freeze and give it the coolest bright window you have, or an unheated sunroom. Keep the soil on the dry side and skip fertilizer until spring. It may look a little tired by March; a light trim and the return to sun usually perk it up.
Cut flowers, dried heads and plant formats
It rates well for both fresh and dried use, but the short stems limit it to tiny arrangements, a sprig on a gift tag or dried heads in a sachet. It is ornamental only, not a kitchen lavender.
You will find it as a 3-inch plug, 4-inch pot or 1-gallon pot. Plugs suit a planter project; the gallon gives you a finished look the day it goes in. See the product page for current sizes and availability.
Frequently asked questions
Why are the stems so short?
This selection is bred for a low, dense habit, so the flower heads sit close to the foliage. That is what makes it look so full in a small pot.
How often should I deadhead?
Every week or two during bloom. Removing spent heads is the simplest way to keep a high-rebloom lavender flowering.
Can it go in the garden bed?
Yes, in a sunny spot with sharp drainage, but plan on it as a one-season plant in Michigan unless you dig it and pot it up in fall.
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