Lavandula stoechas
French lavender (Lavandula stoechas) is a shrub that reaches 60 cm × 60 cm after ten years. Light: full sun. Hardy down to -10 °C. Drought tolerance: high. We do not recommend it for most Central European gardens.
A Mediterranean lavender you recognise by the purple "rabbit ear" bracts on top of its stubby dark flower heads; it blooms from mid-spring into summer and is busy with bees and butterflies. It is much more frost tender than other lavenders, so grow it in a pot or tub on a sunny terrace in loose, free-draining compost and move it to a frost-free, bright place for winter. Trim it after flowering but never cut into old wood, which does not resprout.
| Group | Shrub |
| Light | Full sun |
| Size after 10 years | 60 cm × 60 cm |
| Ultimate size | 0.4–1 m × 0.4–1 m |
| Hardiness | down to -10 °C (USDA 8, RHS H4) |
| Soil | Sandy, Average garden soil, Acidic, Calcareous |
| Foliage | Evergreen |
| Flowering | April–August, purple, pink |
| Water need | Low |
| Drought tolerance | High |
| Maintenance | Medium |
| Root aggressiveness | Low |
| Suckering | no |
| Spreading | Low |
| Distance from buildings | at least 1 m |
| Distance from paving | at least 0.5 m |
| Litter | not typical |
| Planting distance | 45 cm |
| For dogs | Toxic (uncertain) |
| For cats | Toxic (uncertain) |
| For children | no data |
| Typical price | no data |
Toxicity data is for information only. If your pet or child has eaten a plant, contact a vet or a doctor.
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Data updated: October 8, 2026 · How our data is made
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