Product Field NotesLavender Plants
Lullingstone Castle Lavender: A Big Silver Lavandin for Bundles
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Lullingstone Castle lavender is a lavandin, Lavandula × intermedia, the vigorous hybrid of English lavender and spike lavender. It is a large, bushy, upright evergreen shrub that reaches about 39 inches tall and wide, with silver-gray foliage and flowers in a soft mix of mauve, violet and pale blue.
Like most lavandins, it is a powerhouse: rated excellent for cut flowers, dried flowers, essential oil and commercial fields. Its scent is strong, sweet lavender layered with fresh camphor notes.
Lullingstone Castle at a glance
| Trait | What to expect |
|---|---|
| Botanical name | Lavandula × intermedia 'Lullingstone Castle' |
| Parentage | L. angustifolia × L. latifolia |
| Flower color | Mauve, violet and pale blue |
| Foliage | Silver-gray |
| Size | About 39 inches tall and 39 inches wide |
| Bloom | Starts mid-June, peaks mid-August, single main flush |
| Hardiness | USDA zones 5a to 9b |
| Ratings | Excellent cut, dried, oil and commercial field |
Why growers like lavandin
Lavandins are bigger, faster and more productive than most English lavenders. Lullingstone Castle shows why: a large shrub with long stems, a heavy flush of flowers and an excellent oil rating, including high oil production. For a home gardener that means armloads of stems for drying; for a small grower, it means a plant worth considering for production rows. It is also rated excellent for pollinators, so expect a crowd of bees in August.
Its peak in mid-August is later than English lavender, which helps stretch the lavender season. Plant it near an early English cultivar and you have color from June into late summer.
Giving it room
At about three feet tall and wide, Lullingstone Castle needs space. Plant it 36 to 42 inches apart so air can move between shrubs; crowded lavandin stays damp and invites trouble. Full sun and fast-draining soil are essential. On heavy ground, raise the planting area or set plants on low mounds. Keep mulch away from the woody base.
It is rated for zones 5a to 9b. Winter notes for lavandins say cultivar-specific hardiness should govern, so use the listed range and focus on drainage, which is what most often decides survival in Michigan.
Harvest and pruning
- For drying: cut when about a third of the flowers on a spike are open. Bundle and hang in a dark, airy place.
- For fresh bouquets: cut in the morning and get stems into water quickly.
- After harvest: shear the whole plant by about a third, staying above bare wood. This keeps it compact and long-lived.
- Spring: wait for green growth before tidying winter damage.
The Harvest Calendar and Pruning Calendar help with timing.
Culinary use
Its culinary rating is good, but lavandin tends to be stronger and more camphor-forward than English lavender, so cultivar-specific use should be evaluated. If you experiment, use only plants grown and handled as a food crop and start with a very small amount. For most baking, a sweet English lavender is the gentler choice.
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
What is the difference between lavandin and English lavender?
Lavandin is a hybrid of English and spike lavender. It grows larger, blooms later and has a stronger, more camphor-forward scent.
Does it rebloom?
Rebloom is low. It puts its energy into one big, long summer flush.
How much space does it need?
About 36 to 42 inches between plants to allow for its mature size and good airflow.
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