# French lavender (*Lavandula dentata*)

French lavender is a beautiful flower with purple spikes and a lovely smell. It grows in sunny places and attracts butterflies and bees, making gardens colorful and lively!

- **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant)
- **Rarity:** Common
- **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low
- **Habitat:** Sunny gardens

![French lavender](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Lavandula_dentata1.jpg&width=800)

Photo: KENPEI, CC BY-SA 3.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Lavandula_dentata1.jpg)

## Appearance

The French lavender has distinctive grey-green leaves with finely toothed or serrated edges. Its fragrant purple-blue flowers are arranged in short, dense spikes, often topped with showy, petal-like purple bracts. This gives the bloom an elegant, tufted appearance.

## Taxonomy

- **Kingdom:** Plantae
- **Phylum:** Tracheophyta
- **Class:** Magnoliopsida
- **Order:** Lamiales
- **Family:** Lamiaceae
- **Genus:** Lavandula

## Interesting facts

- Ancient Romans used lavender in their baths for its fresh, calming scent!
- Its name comes from the Latin word 'lavare', meaning 'to wash'!
- The unique 'toothed' edges of its leaves help it save precious water!
- This plant can grow happily even in very dry, rocky soil where others struggle!

## Special abilities

- **Scent Shield:** French lavender can release powerful aromatic oils that naturally deter many plant-eating insects, helping it stay healthy.
- **Water Hoarder:** French lavender has small, fuzzy leaves that help it reduce water loss in hot, dry climates, letting it thrive.
- **Pollinator Magnet:** French lavender's long-lasting purple blooms and sweet nectar attract many buzzing insects, ensuring reproduction.

## Measurements & details

- **Height:** 60-90 cm
- **Spread:** 60-90 cm
- **Flower Size:** 0.5-1 cm
- **Bloom Season:** Late spring to fall
- **Edible:** Yes
- **Toxicity:** Mild
- **Lifecycle:** Perennial
- **Pollination Method:** Insect

## Ecological connections

- **Pollinates:** European honey bee (*Apis mellifera*) — Gathers nectar and pollen
- **Pollinates:** Buff-tailed bumblebee (*Bombus terrestris*) — Visits flowers for nectar
- **Pollinates:** Hummingbird hawkmoth (*Macroglossum stellatarum*) — Feeds on nectar from flowers

## Traits

- [Aromatic](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/aromatic): Aromatic plants produce and emit fragrant volatile organic compounds, often for defense or to attract pollinators.
- [Flowering](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/flowering): Flowering plants are any plants that produce flowers as part of their reproductive cycle.
- [Shrub](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/shrub): A shrub is a woody plant smaller than a tree, typically with multiple stems branching from or near the ground.
- [Summer Blooming](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/summer-blooming): Summer blooming plants produce their flowers during the summer season, often providing vibrant color when many other plants have finished.
- [Evergreen](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/evergreen): Evergreen plants retain their foliage throughout the year, never shedding all their leaves at once.
- [Fragrant Flower](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/fragrant-flower): Fragrant flowers emit a pleasant aroma, often to attract pollinators or for defense.
- [Drought Tolerant](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/drought-tolerant): Drought-tolerant plants can survive and flourish in conditions with limited water availability.
- [Colorful](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/colorful): Colorful describes organisms or objects displaying a wide range of bright and distinct colors.
- [Pollinator Magnet](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/pollinator-magnet): Describes plants that are particularly attractive and beneficial to a wide range of pollinating organisms.
- [Urban Friendly](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/urban-friendly): This habitat trait indicates species that can coexist with humans in urban and suburban environments, utilizing man-made structures and green spaces.

## Collections

- [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/plants)

## Safety

**Danger:** 1/5 · Very low

Always ask an adult before picking flowers in a garden.

## Frequently Asked Questions

### How to identify French lavender?

Start with the whole plant, then compare leaf arrangement, leaf edges, stems and any flowers or fruit. Opposite leaves grow in pairs; alternate leaves come one at a time along the stem. These details tell you far more together than a single green leaf does. Plant Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details.

### How tall is French lavender?

60-90 cm

### How wide does French lavender spread?

60-90 cm

### How big are the flowers on French lavender?

0.5-1 cm

### When does French lavender bloom?

Late spring to fall

### Is French lavender edible?

Yes

### Is French lavender toxic?

Mild

### What is French lavender's lifecycle?

Perennial

## More Plants

- [white snakeroot](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-snakeroot) (*Ageratina altissima*)
- [tree-of-heaven](https://www.snappit.app/explore/tree-of-heaven) (*Ailanthus altissima*)
- [western sword fern](https://www.snappit.app/explore/western-sword-fern) (*Polystichum munitum*)
- [common milkweed](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-milkweed) (*Asclepias syriaca*)

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Source: [French lavender: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/french-lavender)