Use & Care NotesLavender Plants
Silver Dark Anouk Lavender: Deep Color on a Ten-Inch Plant
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Silver Dark Anouk lavender is a small Spanish lavender with some of the darkest coloring in the group. It has dark purple flowers crowned by dark purplish-red bracts, set against silvery-gray leaves, on a compact plant about 10 inches tall and 10 inches wide. It is freely branching and freely flowering, upright to slightly outward-spreading.
Silver Dark Anouk at a glance
| Trait | What to expect |
|---|---|
| Botanical name | Lavandula stoechas 'Silver Dark Anouk' |
| Flower color | Dark purple with dark purplish-red bracts |
| Foliage | Silvery-gray to blue-gray |
| Habit | Compact, upright to slightly spreading, freely branching |
| Mature size | About 10.3 inches tall and 10.1 inches wide |
| Bloom | Starts early May, peaks late May, high rebloom |
| Hardiness | USDA zones 8b to 9a |
| Fragrance | Moderate; resinous and herbal |
Dark color for small spaces
Dark flowers and silver leaves make a strong contrast, and Silver Dark Anouk packs that into a plant you can hold in two hands. Use it where you want a jewel-toned accent: a pot on a café table, a window box with white trailing flowers, the corner of a balcony or a row of small pots on porch steps. Its purplish-red bracts add a warm tone that pairs nicely with copper, rust and terracotta.
Container care
- Pot: 6 to 8 inches across with a drainage hole; clay pots help the mix dry evenly.
- Mix: fast-draining potting mix with extra grit or perlite.
- Light: full sun outdoors from late spring to fall.
- Water: when the top of the mix is dry. Small pots dry fast in heat and stay wet in cool weather, so check before you water.
- Deadhead: pinch or snip spent heads to keep new ones coming.
- Trim: after the late-May peak, shape it lightly to keep it bushy.
Winter
With a zone listing of 8b to 9a, Silver Dark Anouk will not survive a northern winter outdoors. Bring it in before the first frost and give it a bright, cool spot, such as a sunny window in a cool room. Water lightly. In spring, set it outside for a few hours at a time before it goes out full time. The Frost Date Estimator helps with timing.
Common problems in small pots
Most trouble with small Spanish lavenders comes from water. Yellowing lower leaves and a soft, darkened base usually mean the mix is staying wet too long; repot into grittier mix and water less. Crispy tips and drooping on a hot afternoon mean the pot dried out completely; water deeply and check more often. Stretched, floppy growth points to too little light. The Plant Health Checker can help you sort out what is going on.
Uses
It is rated good for fresh and dried flowers and great for pollinators. The dark heads look striking in tiny posies, and dried heads add deep color to potpourri. Culinary use is not recommended.
Frequently asked questions
Is Silver Dark Anouk the same as Silver Anouk?
No. They share silvery foliage, but Silver Dark Anouk is smaller, with darker coloring and purplish-red bracts, and it is listed for warmer zones.
Can I keep it indoors all year?
It is happiest outdoors in full sun during the warm months. Indoors year-round, it tends to stretch and bloom less.
How often will it rebloom?
Its rebloom rating is high. Regular deadheading and full sun keep flowers coming through the season.
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