Big Night Italian Lavender

Big Night Italian Lavender (Lavandula stoechas 'Big Night') is a compact, fragrant shrub that stays around 30 to 40cm tall and wide. Dark purple flowers with long, showy tufts sit above narrow grey foliage, and the plant is bred to keep growing through heat and dry spells. It suits edging, rockeries, pots and low flowering hedges.

Why you'll love it

• Colour that carries. Deep purple flowers topped with long, showy tufts give even a small plant real presence.
• Bred for heat and drought. It keeps growing through hot, dry weather and needs little water once established.
• Scented grey foliage. Narrow grey leaves release a lavender fragrance when brushed and look good between flushes of flower.
• Compact and tidy. At 30 to 40cm it fits borders, rockery pockets and pots without crowding its neighbours.
• Good for bees and for cutting. Bees and butterflies visit the flowers, and cut stems dry well for arrangements or potpourri.

Where it works best

Stepover hedges and borders. Plant 35cm apart along a path or bed edge. At that spacing the plants meet at maturity and form a low, flowering line.

Cottage gardens and rockeries. Group three or five plants in a sunny border or tuck them into a rockery, where water drains away fast. It sits well beside other sun loving plants that like dry soil.

Pots and dry gardens. A pot of free draining mix gives you control over drainage, which helps in wet or heavy soil districts. In dry climates it is at home in the open garden.

Growing Big Night Italian Lavender in Australia

Position and climate. Full sun. Flowering falls away in lower light. Big Night suits warm temperate, Mediterranean and arid or semi arid gardens, and subtropical gardens where drainage is sharp. It is less cold tolerant than English or French lavender but should survive a light overnight frost once established. In hard frost districts, grow it in a pot you can shelter or choose an English lavender.

Soil. Free draining soil is essential. Avoid wet feet, because soggy soil kills lavender faster than drought does. On heavy clay, build a raised mound or grow it in a pot.

Water and feed. Mulch around the plant, keeping the mulch off the stems, and water regularly for the first 12 weeks until it establishes. After that it needs little. Feed once a year with a slow release fertiliser after flowering.

Pruning. Prune twice a year, taking no more than a third of the foliage each time and never cutting into old wood, which does not reshoot. This keeps the mound compact and full of flowers.

What to expect when it arrives

We sell Big Night Italian Lavender as tube stock, a young plant in an 80mm deep tube that establishes quickly. Expect a small, leafy plant rather than one in full flower. Plant it out or pot it on soon after it arrives, water it in well, and it grows towards its 30 to 40cm size through the warm months.

Plants are delivered Australia wide, with delivery from $29.95. Every plant is covered by our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.

Plant care guides and related reading

• Lavender care guide for Australian gardens
• Browse the full lavender range
• More drought tolerant plants
• Low hedge plants under one metre

Common questions

Will Big Night survive frost?

It should cope with a light overnight frost once established, but it is less cold tolerant than English or French lavender. In districts with hard frosts, grow it in a pot that can be moved under cover, or choose an English lavender instead.

Why do lavenders go woody and split open?

They are usually left unpruned or cut back into old wood. Trim a third of the foliage twice a year, and avoid cutting into leafless stems, because they will not shoot again.

Is it safe for dogs and cats?

Lavender is mildly toxic to cats and dogs if eaten in quantity, so plant it where pets are unlikely to graze on it.