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Lavandula dentata | French Lavender — Fragrant, Free-Flowering, and Effortlessly Elegant
Lavandula dentata, commonly known as French Lavender, is a graceful and easy-going lavender variety loved for its soft, toothed (or "dentate") grey-green leaves and long-lasting, lightly fragrant blooms. With its relaxed, airy form and continuous flowering habit, it adds texture, scent, and movement to any sunny garden. Exceptionally well-suited to warm, coastal, and dry inland regions of South Africa, French Lavender thrives where others struggle — making it a favourite for low-maintenance, Mediterranean-style landscapes.
Sun: Full sun — essential for compact growth and abundant flowering.
Soil: Well-drained, sandy or loamy soil; tolerates slightly alkaline conditions and coastal air.
Water: Low to moderate — water deeply but allow the soil to dry between waterings; drought tolerant once mature.
Fertilizer: Light feeding in spring with a low-nitrogen fertiliser to encourage blooms and maintain healthy foliage.
Pruning: Trim lightly after flowering to keep shape and promote new growth; avoid cutting into old wood.
Top tip: Ideal for hot, dry slopes, courtyards, and coastal gardens — thrives on neglect once established!
Botanical name: Lavandula dentata
Common name: French Lavender, Toothed Lavender
Growth habit: Bushy, rounded evergreen shrub with aromatic, finely toothed grey-green leaves
Size: ±60—90 cm H × ±60—80 cm W
Flowers: Soft purple flower heads topped with small, lighter "rabbit ear" bracts; blooms almost year-round in mild regions
Fragrance: Sweet, resinous scent — softer and more herbal than English lavender
Lifespan: Long-lived perennial in frost-free areas; tolerates light frost once established
Uses: Borders, pots, herb gardens, low hedges, rock gardens, and fragrant landscape plantings
• Long-flowering and beautifully fragrant — blooms nearly all year in warm climates
• Drought tolerant and ideal for coastal or inland South African gardens
• Perfect for low-maintenance, Mediterranean-style landscapes
