Lavandula angustifolia


An old favorite, Lavender 'Munstead' is a dependable performer with profusely blooming lavender-blue flowers. This aromatic herb is a wonderful ornamental in your garden and produces tons of fragrant flowers which are sure to attract bees, butterflies and hummingbirds.

 Also considered a medicinal herb, 'Munstead' has potent antibacterial and anti fungal properties. Used to cure everything from headaches to sunburns, the soothing scent of its oil relaxes the mind, while collagen regenerating agents in the plant renew your skin. Long used for various ailments in traditional folk medicine, French chemist, Rene-Maurice Gattefosse brought Lavender to the attention of the modern medical world in 1928. After sustaining an accidental burn in his lab and placing Lavender oil on the damaged area, he noted that it resisted infection, healed more quickly and had less scarring than if left to heal on its own. The best varieties for medicinal use are 'Munstead' and 'Hidcote', as they are non-hybridized varieties.

Wonderful for herb sachets and pillows, potpourri and  fresh or dried arrangements, 'Munstead' retains its beautiful color and scent after drying.  Also a delicious culinary herb, you can add Lavender to your favorite summer drinks and salads or to lend a wonderfully light flavor to fish, meat or soups.

Lavender 'Munstead' is also a great choice for pots and container as it has a smaller habit than other varieties. Flowering early, this dwarf variety of Lavender is more shrub-like than its other English relations and is much more adaptive to heat and humidity than any of the other varieties.  Deadheading will keep this fragrant herb blooming continuously from spring through summer.

Important Tips:

• Well drained soil - lavenders will not tolerate poor drainage so add sand if you need to improve the quality of your soil.  Most lavender 'deaths' occur because of wet roots.  An alkaline soil is best.
• They cannot tolerate humidity: damp, still air makes them susceptible to fungus ailments
• Lavenders need full sun- 6 to 8 hours of sunshine for these Mediterranean natives

Lavendula augustifolia

Characteristics: This English dwarf variety may have a smaller stature, but it packs a ton of profuse, fragrant blooms into one plant. Perennial in zones 4-9, 'Munstead' is a terrific medicinal and culinary herb.

Light: 'Munstead' prefers full sun

Water: Water adequately, but not excessively, as Lavenders do not do well when over watered. Highly susceptible to root rot and disease if they get too moist for too long, make sure to water the soil, not the plant for best results.

Soil: Good drainage is the biggest factor when considering soil. Lavenders will tolerate a lot- drought, salt, wind and slopes, but they will not deal well with poor drainage and moist soil! Give them loamy soil with a pH of 7 to 8.5.

Use: Fresh 'Munstead' blooms can be steeped in hot water and then cooled for application to sun burned, or damaged skin. This also makes a relaxing and rejuvenating bath soak. Try some Lavender in your next culinary masterpiece, or pot it for indoor use!

Extras: This low maintenance, shrubby herb can be planted along hillsides to reduce erosion!