Product Field NotesLavender Plants
Walberton's Silver Edge Lavender: Cream-Edged Leaves All Year
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Walberton's Silver Edge lavender is the lavender you can enjoy in January. Its gray-green leaves are edged in cream, so the bushy, mounded plant looks bright and patterned all year, not just in bloom. In late summer it adds violet-blue flower spikes on stems up to about 18 inches, with bloom extending into autumn.
It is a variegated lavandin, Lavandula × intermedia 'Walvera', also sold as Silver Edge. As a hybrid of English and spike lavender, it grows about three feet tall and wide and is rated for USDA zones 5a to 9b.
Walberton's Silver Edge at a glance
| Trait | What to expect |
|---|---|
| Botanical name | Lavandula × intermedia 'Walvera' |
| Also known as | Walberton's Silver Edge, Silver Edge |
| Foliage | Gray-green leaves edged in cream |
| Flower color | Violet-blue |
| Size | About 36 inches tall and 36 inches wide |
| Stems and spikes | Stems to about 18 inches; spikes about 1 to 2 inches |
| Bloom | Starts mid-July, peaks mid-August, into autumn; single main flush |
| Hardiness | USDA zones 5a to 9b |
A foliage plant first
Most lavenders are grown for flowers. Silver Edge is grown just as much for its leaves. The cream margins catch light and brighten a sunny bed in every season, and they make a good foil for dark-leaved or deep-purple plants nearby. In winter, when other perennials are bare stems, the evergreen variegated mound still has something to say.
Its fragrance is pleasant but moderate; the listing notes it is not among the strongest-scented lavandins. Choose it for looks, structure and long-season interest, and plant a more fragrant lavender nearby if scent is your main goal.
Design ideas
- Specimen plant: one mound near a patio or at a bed corner where it is seen up close.
- Contrast: beside solid green or purple lavenders to break up a large planting.
- Containers: a big pot on a sunny deck, where the foliage shows off all season.
- Winter interest: near a window you look out of all winter.
Planting and care
Full sun keeps the variegation crisp and the plant compact. Give it fast-draining soil and about three feet of space; on heavy ground, plant on a raised bed or berm. Water deeply through the first season, then cut back to occasional watering in long dry spells.
After bloom, shear off spent stems and lightly shape the mound, keeping green and cream leaves on every stem. Rebloom is low, so this is the main pruning each year; make it soon after flowering so new growth can firm up before cold weather. If a stem ever reverts to plain green leaves, cut it out at the base to keep the plant variegated. Lavandin needs winter chill to bloom, and dry roots are what bring it through winter.
See the Pruning Calendar for timing.
Cutting and drying
Silver Edge carries excellent ratings for cut flowers, dried flowers, oil and commercial fields. Its stems, up to about 18 inches, are long enough for small bouquets, and a few sprigs of the cream-edged foliage make a nice filler in mixed arrangements. For dried bundles, cut when the buds are colored and only a few flowers are open. Lavandin flavor is camphor-forward, so most cooks choose English lavender instead.
Choosing a plant size
It is offered as 3-inch plugs, 4-inch pots and 1-gallon pots. A gallon pot shows off the foliage right away. See the product page for current sizes and availability, and use Notify Me there if a size is not ready.
Frequently asked questions
Is Walberton's Silver Edge the same as Walvera?
Yes. 'Walvera' is the cultivar name; Walberton's Silver Edge and Silver Edge are names it is sold under.
Is it very fragrant?
It is moderately fragrant. The leaves are aromatic, but it is not among the strongest-scented lavandins.
Does the variegation last all year?
Yes. The cream-edged leaves are evergreen, so the pattern shows in every season.
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