Batten Blooms
Butterfly Lavender

Photo: Krzysztof Ziarnek, Kenraiz (CC BY-SA 4.0)

Lavandula pedunculata

Butterfly Lavender

7b–10bHardiness zone
SpringSummerFall
Peak bloom windowZone 6b · frost-offset weeks
Winter
In bloom
Spring
Peak bloom
Summer
In bloom
Fall
Not in bloom
Peak bloom
In bloom
Background

Lavandula pedunculata - Butterfly Lavender - is a Mediterranean lavender native to Spain, Portugal, Morocco, and western Turkey, closely related to and often confused with French Lavender (Lavandula stoechas). It is distinguished by long, wiry flower stalks that lift the dense flower head well above the gray-green foliage, topped with prominent purple bracts that flutter like butterfly wings - the feature both common names refer to.

It shares French Lavender's need for sharp drainage and full sun, and dislikes wet or heavy soil, especially in winter. In frost-free zones it can self-seed readily around bare soil or gravel mulch, so deadhead spent stalks before seed sets if you want to keep it in check. Prune after the main flush to keep growth compact, but never cut back into old bare wood, which does not regenerate. The essential oil is high in camphor rather than the linalool that makes English Lavender prized for perfumery, so it has traditionally been used more for cleaning products and topical antimicrobial remedies than fragrance.

Growing lavender? Read the Lavender Growing Guide - which species suits your zone, drainage, pruning, and harvesting for drying, timed to your frost dates.
Good companions
English ThymeGreek OreganoRosesIrisesPeoniesSalviasNepeta
Keep apart
Spearmint
Care guide
SunFull sun
WaterLow
SoilWell-drained, sandy or gritty, neutral to alkaline
Spacing18–24 in
Height12–24 in
Zone7b – 10b
WinterHardy outdoors in zones 8a and warmer with sharp drainage; in zone 7b mulch lightly and leave top growth through winter for insulation. Elsewhere, grow in a container and move to a bright, cool (40–50°F) spot for winter.
Seasonal tasks
winter
buyBuy plants - about two months before planting out
spring
watchCheck for lavender shab after wet spring weather - brown lesions girdling stems near the crown; remove and destroy affected stems
buyBuy plants - about two months before planting out
cutFirst light shear: On established plants, shear off any winter-damaged tips and shape lightly just as new growth resumes - still cutting into green growth only, never into bare woody stems that won't regenerate.
plantPlant into sharp drainage: Set out nursery plants or rooted cuttings once the soil has warmed and the last frost has passed.
plantTake softwood cuttings: Take 3–4 in non-flowering shoot tips and root them in gritty, well-drained propagation mix.
watchWatch for root and crown rot: Spring rains are when lavender is most at risk.
cutHarvest for drying: Cut stems when about a third of the florets on each spike have opened - this is the point of peak oil concentration.
summer
cutDeadhead spent flower stalks before seed sets - self-seeds readily in frost-free zones
watchMonitor for grey mould on stems and foliage during humid periods; improve air circulation
plantPlant into sharp drainage: Set out nursery plants or rooted cuttings once the soil has warmed and the last frost has passed.
plantTake softwood cuttings: Take 3–4 in non-flowering shoot tips and root them in gritty, well-drained propagation mix.
watchWatch for root and crown rot: Spring rains are when lavender is most at risk.
cutHarvest for drying: Cut stems when about a third of the florets on each spike have opened - this is the point of peak oil concentration.
cutShear lightly after the main flush to tidy growth; stop above the woody base - old wood will not regenerate
cutShear after the main flush: Once flowering finishes, shear the whole plant back by about a third into green growth - never into old bare wood.
watchWatch for lavender shab and grey mould: Humid late-summer weather is prime season for lavender shab (stems wilting and dying back from the tip) and botrytis grey mould.
watchStop pruning before frost: Make any last light tidy at least a month before your first frost.
fall
cutIn zones 9–10, give a light trim in fall; in zones 7–8, leave the season's growth in place to help insulate the crown through winter
watchStop pruning before frost: Make any last light tidy at least a month before your first frost.
overwinterMulch marginal plants for winter: In zones at the cold edge of a species' range, leave the season's growth in place (don't cut back) and mulch lightly around - not over - the crown after the ground begins to cool.
Common problems

Lavender Shab Disease

Symptoms

Shoots wilt and die back individually while the rest of the plant looks healthy. Small dark fungal bodies may appear on infected stems, and dieback spreads over the season.

Treatment

Prune out and destroy affected stems well below the wilted section, cleaning tools between cuts. Remove severely infected plants. Improve air circulation, avoid overhead watering, and plant in well-draining soil to limit spread.

Phytophthora Root Rot

Symptoms

Wilting despite moist soil, yellowing leaves, stunted growth, and dark, decayed roots and crown tissue. Vines may collapse during hot weather.

Treatment

Plant in well-draining soil and avoid waterlogging. Remove and destroy affected vines. Improve drainage with raised beds or amended soil and avoid overwatering.

Botrytis (grey mould)

Symptoms

Grey fuzzy mould on petals and stems, worst in cool wet conditions.

Treatment

Remove affected parts immediately. Improve air circulation. Avoid overhead watering. Apply copper fungicide if severe.