Description

Desert lavender is native to our southeastern deserts into the Southwest and Mexico. The growth form is upright and open, with a dense covering of silver fragrant foliage and a spring bloom of many sprays of small lavender flowers. Although it can grow to twelve feet in the wild, it seems to grow to about six feet in our Bay Area climate. With yearly pruning, desert lavender can be kept more compact and dense. This seems quite well tolerated. Desert lavender prefers well-draining soil and full sun and may be naturalized (no summer water) after it is established. For a desert themed garden, combine with apache plume, Fallugia paradoxa, Indian mallow, Abutilon palmeri, and Red fairy duster, Calliandra californica, all of which do well in the Bay Area in sunny, well-draining sites.