Use & Care NotesLavender Plants
Madrid White Lavender: Bright White Spanish Lavender Blooms
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Madrid White lavender is the white member of the Madrid group of Spanish lavenders. Its clean white flower heads and bracts sit above a bushy mound of gray-green foliage, and it has a longer listed bloom run than its purple and pink siblings, starting in early May and peaking in early June.
White flowers have a way of glowing at dusk, which makes this a good pick for a porch pot you mostly see in the evening.
Madrid White at a glance
| Trait | What to expect |
|---|---|
| Botanical name | Lavandula stoechas 'Madrid White' |
| Flower color | White heads with white bracts |
| Foliage | Gray-green |
| Habit and size | Bushy and mounding; about 24 inches tall and wide |
| Bloom | Starts early May, peaks early June, high rebloom |
| Hardiness | USDA zones 7a to 9b |
| Fragrance | Strong, resinous and herbal |
| Best uses | Fragrance, fresh cut stems, containers |
Where white lavender shines
White flowers make every color around them look cleaner. Pair Madrid White with purple Spanish or English lavenders and the purple reads deeper. Set it beside blue pots, dark mulch or a brick wall and it stands out from across the yard. It is also a natural for white-and-silver gardens and for evening seating areas, where pale flowers stay visible after the sun goes down.
A simple trick: plant all three Madrid colors, purple, pink and white, in one wide container for a mixed look that blooms on a similar schedule.
Planting and winter care
Spanish lavender wants heat, sun and drainage. In the ground, choose a sunny spot with sandy or gravelly soil, or build a raised bed if your soil holds water. In pots, use a gritty mix and a container with good drainage holes.
Madrid White is rated for zones 7a to 9b, and cold, wet winters are its biggest challenge. North of that range, bring potted plants into a cool, bright, frost-free spot before hard frost and keep them on the dry side until spring. Many gardeners simply enjoy it for a season and replant. The Frost Date Estimator helps you time moving pots in and out.
Care through the season
- Water: regularly for the first few weeks, then only when the top few inches of soil are dry.
- Fertilizer: little to none. Lean soil keeps it compact and flowering.
- Deadhead: cut browning heads back to the leaves to encourage the next round of flowers.
- Trim: shape lightly after a heavy flush, keeping cuts in the leafy growth.
Cutting and formats
The white heads look crisp in small fresh arrangements and pair nicely with greenery. They dry only fairly, so this is a fresh-flower lavender. Like other Spanish lavenders it is grown for ornament and fragrance and is not recommended for cooking. Bees and butterflies find it easily, and deer generally ignore it.
Choose from 3-inch plugs, 4-inch pots and 1-gallon pots. See the product page for current sizes and availability.
Frequently asked questions
Do white lavender flowers smell different?
Madrid White has the same bold, resinous Spanish lavender scent as the other Madrids. The color changes, the fragrance style does not.
Does white lavender look messy as it fades?
White heads show browning more than darker colors, which is one more reason to deadhead. A quick snip every week or so keeps the plant looking fresh.
Can it grow indoors?
It is happiest outdoors in full sun. Indoors is a winter holding pattern: a cool, bright spot and light watering until it can go back outside.
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