A handful of plants divvy up a similar show with lavender ( Lavandulaspp . ) . So if lavender is not a suitable option for your garden , there are several options from which to choose , whether you are searching for a lavender alternative for shade or a lavender lookalike that is fragrance free .
Understanding Lavender Plants
True lavender plants belong to to the genusLavandula , which includes 45 unlike coinage and more than 450 bring up varieties of plant . cultivar of only five lavender speciesare wide grow in garden :
All grow well within U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 5 to 8 , although cold tolerance varies between specie and types , with heat energy - jazz Spanish lavender growing best in USDA zones 8 to 9 and insensate - liberal English lavender flourish in zones 5 to 9 .
Lavandin is a hybrid between English and spike lavender that get in USDA zones 5 to 8 and tolerates both cold-blooded and heat .
Shade-Tolerant Lavender Lookalikes
Lavender does not develop well in shady locations , so happen a shade - tolerant lavender lookalike is a salutary alternative for less sunny domain of the garden .
Ornamental Catmint Cultivars
Showy , fragrant catmint ( Nepeta x faassenii ) tolerates fond shade as long as it is grow in fast - draining dirt . It grow serious in USDA plant hardiness zones 3 to 8 , where it is alow - maintenance plantif it is grown under the right conditions . Catmint declare oneself the same silver - gray foliage color as lavender as well as similar flowers . cultivar admit :
Hummingbird Mint or Anise Hyssop
Sometimes called anise Hyssopus officinalis , hummingbird mint ( Agastachespp . ) cultivars , such as Blue Fortune ( Agastache’Blue Fortune ' ) , make a good choice to lavender for lightly shaded area of the garden in zone 5 to 9 .
Blue Fortune hummingbird mint sportswoman pale empurpled flowers that resemble the peak of spike lavender , although the foliage is bright green rather than the silvery - gray of lavender foliage .
Mexican Bush Sage
Sometimes call velvet sage , Mexican bush sage ( Salvia leucantha ) is a shade - tolerant lavender lookalike that produce best in zones 7 to 10 .
The cultivar visit Midnight ( Salvia leucantha’Midnight ' ) look most like lavender , because it has soft purplish flowers with a similar colour to most plebeian lavender varieties . It is a down in the mouth - alimony plant whengrown in a suitable location .
Tip
Mexican bush salvia support unclouded shade only if it is grown in very well - drain soil .
Sun-Loving Lavender Lookalikes
Lavender loves Dominicus , and many of its lookalikes do too . These plants may share a similar coming into court and the same growing condition as lavender , but they also have some conflict .
Russian Sage Cultivars
A few cultivars of Russian salvia ( Salvia atriplicifolia ) powerfully resemble lavender and also share similar growing requirements . Russian salvia grows wellin zones 4 to 9 , where it thrives in sunny locations with just drain . Several cultivars are suited to replace lavender in the garden , including :
Russian salvia was previously known by the scientific namePetrovskia atriplicifolia .
Spiked Speedwell Cultivars
Spiked speedwell ( Veronica spicata ) shares some traits in coarse with lavender , such as its flower color and the shape of its stretch flower clusters , but its foliage is promising green unlike the silvery light-green of lavender leaves . It grow best in USDA zones 3a to 8a , where it expand in full sun with dampish dirt .
Several cultivar of spiked speedwell are suitable replacements for lavender , including :
