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Lavandula x allardii 'Meerlo' PP25,559 (Variegated Allard's Lavender) - An attractive small upright growing evergreen subshrub to 2-3 feet tall by nearly as wide with aromatic slightly serrated narrow light gray-green leaves that are edged with an decorative light yellow to cream variegation. In mid-summer appear the pale lavender blue fragrant flowers on 14- to 18-inch-long stems held erect above the foliage. Though flowering only once and not particularly prolific, the individual flowers are larger than other lavender and the beautiful foliage more than makes up for the short flowering period.
Plant in full sun to part shade and give occasional to infrequent irrigation. It is tolerant of heat and humidity and cold hardy down to around 23°F, so most useful in USDA Zones 9-10. Lavenders with their aromatic oils are also generally resistant to deer and rabbit predation. Prune in the early spring to maintain a compact shape. A great plant used as a specimen plant, in a rock garden, border planting or a low hedge and is also very nice as a container plant. Its foliage has a high oil content that gives it a nice fragrance that is useful in and potpourris and in flower it is very attractive to butterflies and bees. The flowers also have a nice perfume and are useful in bouquets.
Meerlo Lavender was selected from a population of unidentified cultivated greenhouse plants of Lavandula x allardii by Louis Meerlo of Classic Plants in Waiuku, New Zeeland in 2011. It received US Plant Patent PP25,559 in May 12, 2015. It is marketed in California as part of the Sunset Western Garden Plant Collection.
Allardi Lavenders are of hybrid origin and are the result of a cross between French Lavender, Lavandula dentata and Spike Lavender, Lavandula latifoila. They have the small bracts and slightly serrated leaves of the French Lavender and tall slender inflorescence stems (peduncles) of Spike Lavender. Lavandula x allardii is one of several great hybrids of French lavender and is noted for its broad, toothed, silvery leaves and large spikes of light lavender flowers. Like the French Lavender, itself and the hybrids Lavandula x heterophylla and Lavandula 'Goodwin Creek Grey', they are all a good choice for hot humid areas found in the Southeastern US or the dry mild climates such as we have in Southern California. Common names for Lavandula x allardii include Allards Lavender, Mitchum Lavender and it is sometimes called Dutch Lavender, though this should not to be confused with Lavandula x intermedia 'Dutch'. Because it has the toothed leaves of its Lavandula dentata parent, it is sometime mistakenly sold as "French Lavender".
This information about Lavandula x allardii 'Meerlo' PP25,559 displayed is based on research conducted in our horticultural library and from reliable online resources. We also will relate observations made about it as it grows in our nursery gardens and other gardens we have visited, as well how the crops have performed in containers in our nursery field. We will also incorporate comments that we receive from others and we welcome hearing from anyone with additional information, particularly if they can share any cultural information that would aid others in growing it.
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