| Lavandula dentata | |
|---|---|
| |
Scientific classification 
| |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Asterids |
| Order: | Lamiales |
| Family: | Lamiaceae |
| Genus: | Lavandula |
| Species: | L. dentata
|
| Binomial name | |
| Lavandula dentata | |
| Synonyms | |
|
Lavandula pinnata | |
Lavandula dentata, the fringed lavender or French lavender, is a species of flowering plant in the family Lamiaceae, native to the Mediterranean basin, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Yemen, and the Arabian peninsula.[1] Growing to 60 cm (24 in) tall, it has gray-green, linear or lance-shaped leaves with toothed edges and a lightly woolly texture.[2] The long-lasting, narrow spikes of purple flowers, topped with pale violet bracts, first appear in late spring. The whole plant is strongly aromatic with the typical lavender fragrance.[3]
Its native habitat includes low hills with limestone substrates amidst other shrubs. It is present on Madeira and the Canary Islands.[4]
One of several species known by the English common name French lavender (see also Lavandula stoechas),[3] it is commonly grown as an ornamental plant and its essential oil is used in perfumes.[5] Like other lavenders, it is particularly associated with dry, sunny, well-drained conditions in alkaline soil. But it will tolerate a range of conditions, though it may be short-lived. The cultivar L. dentata var. dentata 'Royal Crown' has gained the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit.[6][7] It requires some shelter in frost-prone areas.
