Product Field NotesLavender Plants
Blue Jeans Lavender: A Compact, Sweet Reblooming English Lavender
Save
Blue Jeans lavender is an English lavender sold under a few names: Blue Jeans, Bleu de Gien and its cultivar name, Lavval. Whatever you call it, it is a compact, everyday kind of lavender, as dependable as the denim it is named after. It grows to about 16 inches tall and wide with purple to deep violet flowers over silver-gray and green foliage.
Its scent is strong and sweet, a floral lavender with soft herbal notes and low camphor, the profile most people think of as classic lavender.
Blue Jeans at a glance
| Trait | What to expect |
|---|---|
| Botanical name | Lavandula angustifolia 'Lavval' |
| Also sold as | Blue Jeans, Bleu de Gien |
| Flower color | Purple to deep violet |
| Foliage | Silver-gray and green |
| Size | About 16 inches tall and 16 inches wide |
| Bloom | Records range from mid-June to mid-July for the start; reblooms in late summer after pruning |
| Hardiness | USDA zones 6a to 8b |
| Fragrance | Strong; sweet floral, low camphor |
The rebloom trick
Blue Jeans is documented as reblooming in late summer after pruning, and that pruning is the key. When the first flush fades, shear the plant back by about a third, cutting just above leafy growth. Give it a deep drink if the weather is dry. Within weeks it pushes a fresh set of flower stems, often into August. Skip the pruning and you will mostly get seed heads instead.
Bloom records for this cultivar vary, with some sources showing the first flush starting in mid-June and others in mid-July. Your garden's sun and season will decide; the Lavender Bloom Calendar helps you plan around both.
A note on hardiness
Blue Jeans is rated for USDA zones 6a to 8b, a little less cold-tolerant on paper than the many English lavenders rated to 5a. Much of West Michigan sits in zone 6, so it can work here, but give it every advantage: your sunniest, best-drained spot, a slight mound on heavy soil, gravel instead of bark mulch near the crown and shelter from harsh winter wind. In colder pockets, a pot that can move to a sheltered, unheated spot for winter is a smart hedge.
Planting and care
- Sun: full sun, six to eight hours or more.
- Soil: lean and fast draining.
- Spacing: about 16 to 18 inches apart for a low hedge.
- Water: deeply while establishing, sparingly after.
- Feeding: none needed; rich soil reduces flowering.
- Winter: it needs a winter chill to bloom, so potted plants stay outdoors in a sheltered spot.
Kitchen and craft uses
Blue Jeans is rated great for culinary use, and its sweet, low-camphor profile is exactly what you want in baking. Harvest when buds are fully colored and only a few have opened. Dry small bundles out of the sun, then rub the buds loose. Use only plants grown and handled as a food crop, and start with a small amount. Its essential oil suitability is rated excellent, and the buds make fragrant sachets.
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
Are Blue Jeans, Bleu de Gien and Lavval the same plant?
Yes. They are trade names and the cultivar name for the same English lavender.
Will it grow in Michigan?
It is rated for zones 6a to 8b, so it suits much of West Michigan with excellent drainage and a sheltered spot. Check your zone with the USDA Zone Finder.
How do I get it to rebloom?
Shear it back by about a third right after the first flush, staying above bare wood.
Share how it went in your field