French lavender
Lavandula stoechas
A pollinator magnet for hot, dry, slightly acid banks — aromatic, evergreen and buzzing with bees. Frost-shy and short-lived, so replace it every few years.
French lavender in a syntropic line
French lavender belongs in the Ground cover layer as a Placenta productive species. Aim for 2–4 species for resilient, continuous cover. Rough in-row spacing starts around 0.3 m in a syntropic row. Good line partners include Bladder senna, Casuarina. As a Placenta species it establishes fast, then gets cut back or phased out as longer-lived layers take over.
Tolerances and growing conditions
- Strata
- Ground cover
- Lifecycle
- Placenta
- Soil preference
- Sandy, Rocky
- Soil pH range
- 6 – 8
- Min. temperature
- -9°C
- Min. rainfall
- 350 mm/year
- Wind tolerance
- Medium
- Frost tolerance
- Low
- Growth rate
- Medium
- Irrigation needed
- Low
- Foliage
- Evergreen
- Waterlogging tolerance
- Low
- Origin
- Mediterranean
- Native to Portugal
- Yes
How to manage it
Aromatic pollinator sub-shrub; shear lightly after flowering to keep compact. Unlike English lavender it tolerates mildly acidic soils.
How to propagate
Sow seed in spring with light, or take softwood cuttings in early summer.
Guidance, not a guarantee — success varies by species and skill.
What to watch out for
Frost-tender - less hardy than English lavender, surviving only to about -8 to -10 C with sharp drainage. Never cut back into old bare wood, and it is short-lived (replace every few years).
Frequently asked questions about French lavender
Is french lavender frost-hardy?
Yes for winter cold in many climates — generally hardy to around -9°C when dormant, with low frost tolerance in the catalog. Flowering crops can still lose a season to late frost, so site them carefully.
What soil does french lavender need?
It does best on sandy, rocky ground, at pH about 6–8.
How much water does french lavender need?
Plan for a rainfall floor around 350 mm/year, plus low irrigation once established.
Can french lavender handle wet or waterlogged soil?
Poorly — french lavender has low waterlogging tolerance, so keep it off winter-wet clay and standing water.
What should I watch out for with french lavender?
Frost-tender - less hardy than English lavender, surviving only to about -8 to -10 C with sharp drainage. Never cut back into old bare wood, and it is short-lived (replace every few years).
French lavender in soil templates
- French lavender appears in the sandy soil starter lineBrowse sandy templates →
- French lavender appears in the loam soil starter lineBrowse loam templates →
- French lavender appears in the clay soil starter lineBrowse clay templates →
- French lavender appears in the chalky soil starter lineBrowse chalky templates →
Design your line to see how your land fits French lavender.
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