Lavandula minutolii 

The species is found only on the Canary Islands, from sea level to 1,500 m. Lavandula minutolii var. minutolii is found on Gran Canaria and L. minutolii var. tenuipinna on Tenerife.

Lavandula minutolii is a small, attractive, aromatic, woody shrub up to around 1 m high. The narrow greyish-green, aromatic leaves are deeply divided and covered with minute woolly hairs, giving an almost feathery effect. The spikes of violet-blue flowers are carried well above the foliage on long, slender stems. The flowers are small, 8–9 mm across, violet-blue, and produced from January or, at elevations above 800 m, from March.

Lavandula minutolii var. tenuipinna differs slightly in having broader leaves with secondary lobing and smaller flowers.

Lavandula minutolii var. minutolii is only locally abundant and has been assessed as Near Threatened (NT) according to IUCN Red List criteria. Lavendula minutolii var. tenuipinna is considered Vulnerable (VU) D1+2 because it is restricted to a small area on Tenerife.

Lavandula minutolii is occasionally cultivated as an ornamental.

Lavandula minutolii requires protection from frost and flowers from late January onwards in the conservatory.

Lavandula minutolii can be seen growing in the Princess of Wales Conservatory and in the Duchess Border (along the wall between the Grass Garden and Duke’s Garden).

The Duchess Border (named after Augusta, Duchess of Cambridge, who lived at Cambridge Cottage) is backed by a high south-facing wall, behind which is the Duke’s Garden. Since mid-1990, the Duchess Border has been a testing ground for a collection of lavender species and other Mediterranean plants. They are grown to test their hardiness, ease of propagation and growth habits.

Lavandula minutolii var. minutolii, painted by Christabel King, in The Genus Lavandula (Image: Christabel King)

Search Kew's databases for more information on this species

Buy 'The Genus Lavandula' by Tim Upson and Susyn Andrews

Kew Fact Sheet - Lavandula

Find out more about the Lavandula collection at Kew

Find out more about the mint family (Lamiaceae)

JSTOR Plant Science(includes images of Lavandula minutolii)

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