Lavandula stoechas (
French Lavender,
Spanish Lavender,
Stoechas Lavender, or
Topped Lavender) occurs naturally in the Mediterranean region. A
perennialA perennial plant or perennial is a plant that lives for more than two years. When used by gardeners or horticulturalists, this term applies specifically to perennial herbaceous plants...
shrubA shrub or bush is a horticultural rather than strictly botanical category of woody plant, distinguished from a tree by its multiple stems and lower height, usually less than 5-6 m tall. A large number of plants can be either shrubs or trees, depending on the growing conditions they experience...
, it usually grows to 30-100 cm tall and wide. The
leavesIn botany, a leaf is an above-ground plant organ specialized for photosynthesis. For this purpose, a leaf is typically flat and thin. There is continued debate about whether the flatness of leaves evolved to expose the chloroplasts to more light or to increase the absorption of carbon dioxide. In...
are 1-4 cm long, greyish tomentose. The
flowerA flower, sometimes known as a bloom or blossom, is the reproductive structure found in flowering plants . The biological function of a flower is to mediate the union of male sperm with female ovum in order to produce seeds...
s are pinkish-purple (lavender-coloured), produced on spikes 2-3 cm long at the top of slender leafless stems 10-30 cm long; each flower is subtended by a
bractIn botany, a bract is a modified or specialized leaf, especially one associated with a reproductive structure such as a flower, inflorescence axis, or cone scale...
4-8 mm long.
Discussion
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Lavandula stoechas (
French Lavender,
Spanish Lavender,
Stoechas Lavender, or
Topped Lavender) occurs naturally in the Mediterranean region. A
perennialA perennial plant or perennial is a plant that lives for more than two years. When used by gardeners or horticulturalists, this term applies specifically to perennial herbaceous plants...
shrubA shrub or bush is a horticultural rather than strictly botanical category of woody plant, distinguished from a tree by its multiple stems and lower height, usually less than 5-6 m tall. A large number of plants can be either shrubs or trees, depending on the growing conditions they experience...
, it usually grows to 30-100 cm tall and wide. The
leavesIn botany, a leaf is an above-ground plant organ specialized for photosynthesis. For this purpose, a leaf is typically flat and thin. There is continued debate about whether the flatness of leaves evolved to expose the chloroplasts to more light or to increase the absorption of carbon dioxide. In...
are 1-4 cm long, greyish tomentose. The
flowerA flower, sometimes known as a bloom or blossom, is the reproductive structure found in flowering plants . The biological function of a flower is to mediate the union of male sperm with female ovum in order to produce seeds...
s are pinkish-purple (lavender-coloured), produced on spikes 2-3 cm long at the top of slender leafless stems 10-30 cm long; each flower is subtended by a
bractIn botany, a bract is a modified or specialized leaf, especially one associated with a reproductive structure such as a flower, inflorescence axis, or cone scale...
4-8 mm long. At the top of the spike are a number of much larger, sterile bracts (no flowers between them), 10-50 mm long and bright lavender purple (rarely white).
Cultivation
More fragile than Common Lavender (
Lavandula angustifoliaLavandula angustifolia Lavandula angustifolia Lavandula angustifolia (also Lavandula spica or Lavandula vera; common lavender, true lavender, or English lavender (though not native to England); formerly L...
), as it is less winter hardy, but harsher and more resinous in its oils. Stoechas Lavender is used commercially in
air freshenerAir fresheners are consumer products that mitigate unpleasant odors in indoor spaces. They can be in the form of candles, aerosol sprays, potpourri, gels and mechanical or heat release products...
s and
insecticideAn insecticide is a pesticide used against insects. They include ovicides and larvicides used against the eggs and larvae of insects respectively. Insecticides are used in agriculture, medicine, industry and the household. The use of insecticides is believed to be one of the major factors behind...
s.
Control
Since its introduction into
AustraliaAustralia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the continental mainland , the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans...
, it has become an
invasive species'Invasive species' is a phrase with several definitions. The first definition expresses the phrase in terms of non-indigenous species that adversely affect the habitats they invade economically, environmentally or ecologically...
, spread throughout the continent. It has been declared a noxious weed in Victoria since 1920. To control small patches, completely remove or cut off main roots near the base of the plant. Cutting or slashing the plant will only result in re-growth. Large areas are best ploughed in the spring.