Ellegance Lavender
Lavandula Anguvstifolia

days to maturity: 100 days
plant spacing: 4 plants per square foot
sunlight requirements: 8-14 hours
look out for: overwatering
harvest notes: clip flowering branches low to the ground
seasons: fall, winter, spring
annual

Everyone in Miami seems to want to grow lavender and we don’t blame them! Due to the humidity of our tropical climate Lavender wont act as a perennial plant here in South Florida, so we are growing a variety that flowers in its first year as an annual plant. We learned about this Florida friendly variety from farmer Mike at Ground Floor Farm in Stuart. He grows this every year and has great success with it until the summer months come and kill all of his plants! Besides being deliciously scented, lavender is also medicinal when used internally either as a tea or edible flower.

Lavender is believed to have antiseptic and anti inflammatory properties, and when used topically it can help heal cuts and insect bites. In addition to helping with digestive problems lavender is used to help relieve pain from headaches, sprains, toothaches and sores. Since lavender is a mediterranean herb keep yours nice and dry and give it well draining soil. Just like we say with our rosemary plants “treat it like its living in Italy” by keeping the well draining soil nice and dry and watering just the soil, not the entire plant, because it likes having its leaves dry. Harvest blooms often to keep new blooms forming, and don’t ignore the leaves, they are just as fragrant as the flowers.