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6" Spanish Lavender plants
Spanish lavender flower heads are unlike anything else, with deep purple spikes crowned with showy "rabbit ear" bracts that give it a almost theatrical look. The foliage is silvery-green and intensely aromatic, and trained into a topiary form, it makes a genuinely striking accent for a patio, entryway, or sunny corner.
It blooms from late spring into summer, and pollinators absolutely love it. Spanish lavender is a warmer-climate cousin, it wants heat, sharp drainage, and shelter from the cold.
You can find our English and French Lavender Plants here.
Winter Hardiness for Zone 5B
Spanish lavender is not reliably winter-hardy in our area. It can handle brief dips to around -5°C to -7°C (19-23°F), but that's about its limit. Prolonged cold, freeze-thaw cycles, and wet winter soil are all hard on it, and in southern Ontario, we regularly see temperatures well below that threshold. Even with protection, overwintering in the ground is a gamble.
If you do want to try it in the ground, give it every advantage: a south-facing spot near a foundation, fast-draining sandy or amended soil, and a good layer of mulch or frost cloth going into winter.
The more reliable approach, and what we'd recommend, is to treat it as a seasonal patio plant and bring it indoors before the cold sets in.
Overwintering Indoors
Move it inside before nighttime temperatures are consistently dropping below 5°C (41°F). Once indoors:
- Bright light is best so look for a south or west-facing window
- Keep it on the cool side: 10-15°C (50-60°F)
- Water sparingly and let the soil dry out a bit between waterings
- Make sure it has decent air circulation
Outdoor Care (Spring through Fall)
- Full sun, 6-8+ hours a day
- Drainage matters more than almost anything else and avoid soggy soil
- Water deeply but not often
- Light pruning after flowering keeps the topiary shape looking sharp