Real lavender versus lavandin
The greatest competition for the real lavender (Lavandula angustifolia) is made by the hybrid lavandin, a cross between the real and the high Speiklavender (Lavandula latifolia). This cultivated lavender is also the one that is mostly grown on the endless lavender fields of Provence and Tuscany. In the garden as well as in the wild - whereby the lavandin does not go wild - you can distinguish the two species mainly by their height and their leaves. The following table gives you an overview.
also read
- Real lavender - valuable tips for the right care
- Real lavender is only partially hardy
- Real lavender - triumphant advance of an aromatic herb
| lavender | Real lavender | Lavandin |
|---|---|---|
| Habit | Small shrub | Small shrub |
| Stature | 60 to 100 cm | up to 50 cm |
| leaves | narrowly lanceolate, hairy | elongated, lanceolate |
| Blade length | 2 to 5 cm | 4 to 6 cm |
| Leaf color | evergreen, silvery-white underside | gray-green |
| blossom | year old | year old |
| Heyday | from June / July | from June / July |
| Height of inflorescences | 10 to 15 cm | 10 to 20 cm |
When buying, look for additions such as “fine” or “extra”
If you want to buy lavender oil, watch out for the additives “fine” or “extra” - only then will you actually buy real lavender oil. Since the yield of pure oil in real lavender is very meager, it also achieves correspondingly expensive prices and is often replaced in the industry by the inferior oil of lavandin or even by artificial flavorings. These may smell similarly beguiling, but they do not have the same medicinal or culinary effect.
Tips
You can also distinguish the potted lavender, which is often grown in pots, from the real lavender by the characteristic shape of its flowers. As the name suggests, the flower head of the French lavender has a distinct “head”. In addition, the plant remains significantly smaller than other types of lavender.
