Product Field NotesLavender Plants
Regal Splendour Lavender: A Taller Spanish Lavender with Presence
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Regal Splendour lavender is a Spanish lavender with a bit more height than its cousins, listed at about 30 inches tall and 24 inches wide. It carries the classic Spanish lavender look, chunky purple heads crowned with upright bracts, on a bushy, compact frame of gray-green leaves.
Most Spanish lavenders are front-row plants. Regal Splendour can stand in the second row and still be seen.
Regal Splendour at a glance
| Trait | What to expect |
|---|---|
| Botanical name | Lavandula stoechas 'Regal Splendour' |
| Flower color | Purple heads and bracts |
| Foliage | Gray-green |
| Habit | Bushy and compact |
| Mature size | About 30 inches tall and 24 inches wide |
| Bloom | Starts early May, peaks late May, high rebloom |
| Hardiness | USDA zones 7a to 9b |
| Fragrance | Strong, resinous and herbal with camphor notes |
Using its height
A taller Spanish lavender opens up options. In a big container, Regal Splendour can be the upright centerpiece with lower, trailing plants around the rim. In warm-zone gardens, it can back up shorter lavenders or line a sunny driveway where a 12-inch plant would disappear. Because it is taller than it is wide, give it a spot sheltered from the strongest winds so heavy flower heads do not tip the plant after a rainstorm.
Container and garden care
For a plant this size, choose a pot at least 14 to 16 inches across, with drainage holes and a heavy enough base not to blow over. Fill it with a gritty, fast-draining mix. In the ground in zones 7 to 9, plant in full sun in sandy or gravelly soil, or on a slope where water runs off quickly.
- Water: thoroughly, then let the top of the soil dry. Low water needs once established.
- Deadhead: remove faded heads to the next leaf pair. With high rebloom, new flags follow quickly.
- Shape: after the late-May peak, trim lightly over the whole plant to keep it bushy, staying in green growth.
- Feed: minimal. Too much fertilizer makes tall growth even taller and floppier.
Winter in cold climates
Spanish lavenders are generally less cold-hardy than English lavender, and Regal Splendour is rated to zone 7a. In zone 6 and colder, bring the container into a bright, cool, frost-free space before hard freezes. Water lightly over winter. A cool sunroom or an unheated but frost-free enclosed porch is ideal. Wheel it back out once your frost danger has passed; the Frost Date Estimator helps you time it.
Flowers, fragrance and pollinators
The bold, resinous scent is strongest when you brush the foliage on a warm day. Regal Splendour is rated good for cut flowers, so a few stems in a vase or a mixed bouquet work well, though dried it rates only fair because the bracts fade. Pollinators rate it great, and early-season bees will thank you. It is not recommended for culinary use, and its oil rating is weak; grow it for looks and scent in the garden.
Frequently asked questions
Is Regal Splendour bigger than other Spanish lavenders?
It is listed at about 30 inches tall, which is taller than many Spanish lavenders in our collection. Check the listing for the current size information.
Why did my plant split open in the middle?
Usually from too much water, rich soil or heavy flower heads after rain. Lean soil, a light midseason trim and a sheltered spot help it hold together.
Can it stay outside in zone 6?
It is rated for zones 7a to 9b, so in zone 6 it is safest to overwinter it indoors in a container.
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