Spanish Lavender

Spanish Lavender, scientifically known as Lavandula stoechas, is a highly aromatic and visually charming evergreen perennial shrub, celebrated for its unique, pineapple-shaped flower heads topped with distinctive “bunny ear” bracts. Native to the Mediterranean Basin, including southern Europe, North Africa, and the Middle East, it thrives in hot, dry summers and mild, wet winters, preferring full sun and exceptionally well-drained, gritty, or rocky soils. In the landscape of Phoenix, Arizona, Spanish Lavender is a popular choice for its unique form and delightful fragrance, performing best with protection from the most intense afternoon sun and careful watering to prevent root rot in summer. As a long-lived perennial, it can easily persist for 5-10 years or more in ideal conditions.

Its most distinctive characteristics include its dense, compact, and often mounding growth habit, typically reaching 1-3 feet tall and wide. The leaves are small, narrow, silvery-gray to grayish-green, and highly aromatic, releasing a strong, characteristic lavender scent when brushed or crushed. The true spectacle of Spanish Lavender lies in its unique flower spikes. From early spring through summer and often intermittently into fall, it produces densely packed, cylindrical to oval flower heads (resembling small pinecones or pineapples) that are crowned with prominent, brightly colored, petal-like bracts. These “bunny ear” bracts can be vibrant purple, pink, or white, creating a charming contrast to the darker, more muted flower head below. The actual tiny flowers within the cone are usually purple. These blooms are highly attractive to bees and butterflies. Unlike English Lavender, Spanish Lavender typically has a more camphoraceous, less sweet fragrance in its foliage, but its floral display is unmatched. Its relatively compact size, unique flowers, drought tolerance once established (though careful summer watering is key in Phoenix), and delightful aroma make Spanish Lavender an excellent choice for xeriscapes, rock gardens, borders, containers, and as a fragrant accent plant in Mediterranean-style landscapes.