''Lavandula dentata'', ''Lavanda de la brecha (Spain)'', fringed lavender or French lavender, is a
species of
flowering plant in the
family Lamiaceae,
native
Native may refer to:
People
* Jus soli, citizenship by right of birth
* Indigenous peoples, peoples with a set of specific rights based on their historical ties to a particular territory
** Native Americans (disambiguation)
In arts and entert ...
to the Mediterranean, the Atlantic islands and the Arabian peninsula. Growing to tall, it has gray-green, linear or lance-shaped leaves with toothed edges and a lightly woolly texture. The long-lasting, narrow spikes of purple flowers, topped with pale violet bracts, first appear in late spring. The whole plant is strongly aromatic with the typical lavender fragrance.
Its native habitat includes low hills with
limestone substrates amidst other shrubs. It is present on Madeira and the Canary Islands.
One of several species known by the English common name French lavender (see also ''
Lavandula stoechas''),
it is commonly grown as an
ornamental plant and its
essential oil
An essential oil is a concentrated hydrophobic liquid containing volatile (easily evaporated at normal temperatures) chemical compounds from plants. Essential oils are also known as volatile oils, ethereal oils, aetheroleum, or simply as the o ...
is used in perfumes. Like other lavenders, it is particularly associated with dry, sunny, well-drained conditions in
alkaline soil. But it will tolerate a range of conditions, though it may be short-lived. The
cultivar ''L. dentata'' var. ''dentata'' 'Royal Crown' has gained the
Royal Horticultural Society's
Award of Garden Merit
The Award of Garden Merit (AGM) is a long-established annual award for plants by the British Royal Horticultural Society (RHS). It is based on assessment of the plants' performance under UK growing conditions.
History
The Award of Garden Merit ...
.
It requires some shelter in frost-prone areas.
Gallery
Lavanduladentata.jpg,
Starr 070402-6271 Lavandula dentata.jpg,
Starr 071024-0197 Lavandula dentata.jpg,
References
External links
Plant of the Week
{{Taxonbar, from=Q1450735
dentata
Flora of Spain
Garden plants of Europe
Drought-tolerant plants
Medicinal plants
Flora of the Mediterranean Basin
Plants described in 1753
Taxa named by Carl Linnaeus
Flora of Malta