Varieties as unique as snowflakes —

At Dark Horse Lavender & Herb Farm, we grow twelve different varieties of lavender! That’s because each is different in what time of year they bloom, what color the flowers are, and the features and uses of the plant. Some are best for culinary if you are looking to make lavender shortbreads or honey. Others are best for essential oils and dried bouquets. Some are just perfect to decorate the farm for foliage and wedding season. Explore all the kinds we have below!

Bloom times listed are based on Zone 5B

 

Munstead

  • Soft in color, a grayish lilac

  • Excellent for fragrance - use in sachets, potpourris or fresh bundles and wreaths. A wonderful landscape plant, perfect for bordering walkways or gardens.

  • Summer

Folgate

  • Vibrant blue-purple

  • A bushy English lavender, Folgate stays very fragrant when dried. This variety can be used for culinary, oils or beautiful bouquets. Very fragrant.

  • Late spring/early summer

Grosso

  • Violet with long, strong stems. Buds dry pale purple with green.

  • Grosso is an Intermedia - or hybrid, a cross between English & Portuguese. It is the king of producing a high quantity of oil with a menthol fragrance. Large and bushy, can fill in empty spots in your yard or garden.

  • Summer

Royal Velvet

  • Deep violet and navy blue

  • Variety of English lavender. Royal Velvet is well known for its use as a culinary lavender. Retains color making it a beautiful pick for cut flowers, fresh or dry.

  • Late spring / early summer

Sachet

  • Dark purple

  • English lavender - as its name suggests, high in fragrance making it wonderful for sachets and other sensory uses.

  • Late spring, potentially again in the fall

New Zealand Blue

  • Bright purple, with dark green dense foliage.

  • New Zealand Blue was brought to the US from, you guessed it, New Zealand! It can be used in culinary or dried flowers.

  • This workhorse can bloom twice a year, late spring and late summer once harvested.

Phenomenal

  • Silvery blue-purple

  • French hybrid lavender - very sweet-smelling and vibrant in color. Best for bouquets, fresh or dry.

  • Summer to Fall

Cynthia Johnson

  • Blue-ish dark purple

  • Named after the woman that helped breed it to survive Minnesota winters! Great for culinary purposes or drying.

  • Spring to Fall

Buena Vista

  • Deep purple hue

  • Color makes it a very unique pick for bouquets and drying. Excellent scent, and mild essence which makes it good for culinary use.

  • Can bloom twice yearly, early summer and early fall.

SuperBlue

  • Vibrant violet

  • A very fragrant variety of English lavender, tight blooms with saturated color make for amazing fresh bouquets.

  • Early to late summer

Riverina Thomas

  • Purple with tinge of green when harvested - similar to Grosso in that bears strong, long stems.

  • Riverina Thomas is a “triploid” lavender, meaning it holds 3 sets of chromosomes instead of 2. Produced by crossing Lavandula x intermedia 'Grosso' with English lavender (L. angustifolia). Known for large flowers, significantly higher oil production (up to five times more), and robust growth. Hardy.

  • Mid-summer.

Hidcote Giant

  • Long stems of Violet with Blue overtones

  • Hidcote Giant is an “intermedia” (cross breed of l. angustifolia and l. latifolia). What does this mean? It will produce long stems, high oil content and is relatively hardy. Mainly used for landscaping, bouquets and oil.

  • Generally blooms once in early summer.