Product Field NotesLavender Plants
LABZ0007 Lavender: Tall, Dark Spanish Lavender with Upright Poise
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Most Spanish lavenders are round and low. LABZ0007 lavender stands taller and narrower, growing upright to about 17 inches while staying only around 10 inches wide. On top sit purple bracts over flowers so dark they read purple-black, a dramatic look in a container or along a sunny walkway.
Its documentation notes improved winter hardiness compared with typical Spanish lavender, but its rating is still USDA zones 9b to 10a. In a Great Lakes garden, that makes it a container star and a summer annual.
LABZ0007 at a glance
| Trait | What to expect |
|---|---|
| Botanical name | Lavandula stoechas LABZ0007 |
| Bracts and flowers | Purple bracts, deep purple to purple-black flowers |
| Foliage | Medium green |
| Size | About 17 inches tall and 10 inches wide |
| Habit | Upright, rounded and mounding |
| Bloom | Starts early May, peaks late May, high rebloom |
| Hardiness | USDA zones 9b to 10a |
| Fragrance | Moderate; resinous, camphor and eucalyptus-like |
A vertical accent
The narrow, upright shape is what sets LABZ0007 apart. It gives height without width, which is exactly what a container designer wants as the center of a mixed pot. Pair it with a trailing plant spilling over the rim and a mid-height silver filler, and the dark flower heads become the focal point. A matched pair at either side of a sunny door works too.
In a bed, plant several in a short row for a low, see-through screen in front of taller perennials, or tuck them among rocks where their dark color contrasts with pale stone.
Care that keeps it flowering
Spanish lavender does not need winter cold to bloom, so LABZ0007 flowers in its first season. To keep it going:
- Give it full sun and a fast-draining mix or soil.
- Water deeply, then let the top inch or two dry before the next drink.
- Clip off faded heads at the first leaf pair below them.
- Feed sparingly; a lean diet keeps it compact and flowering.
- Pinch a stem tip here and there in early summer if it starts to look leggy.
Overwintering indoors
Bring the pot inside before a hard frost. A cool room with bright light, or an unheated sunroom that stays above freezing, is the best spot. Water only when the mix is dry, skip fertilizer and keep it away from heat vents. In spring, after the frost risk has passed, set it outside in partial sun for a few days, then move it back to full sun. Use the Frost Date Estimator for timing.
In the vase and the drying rack
Those purple-black flowers are striking in small arrangements with white or chartreuse flowers. Cut heads when the bracts are fully colored. For dried use, hang small bundles in a dark place with good air movement. The scent is bold and herbal. Culinary use is not recommended for this cultivar.
It is offered as a 3-inch plug, a 4-inch pot or a 1-gallon pot. See the product page for current sizes and availability.
Frequently asked questions
How hardy is LABZ0007?
It is rated for USDA zones 9b to 10a. Documentation describes improved winter hardiness for a Spanish lavender, but in Michigan it still needs to come indoors or be grown as an annual.
Will it get floppy?
Its habit is upright. Lean soil, full sun and regular deadheading help it hold that shape; rich soil and shade make any lavender sprawl.
Do bees visit it?
Yes. It is rated great for pollinators and blooms early, which makes it a useful spring nectar plant.
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