Sensational! Lavender
Best hardy lavender for home gardeners seeking culinary and aromatic versatility.
Discover Sensational!™ Lavender, an exceptional, easy-to-grow variety from the creators of Phenomenal Lavender. This plant boasts tough, silvery foliage and produces unusually large, dense purple flower spikes with a delightful sweet aroma. Its compact and dense habit makes it a beautiful addition to any garden design. Sensational™ thrives in hot, sunny, and dry conditions but offers improved moisture and cold tolerance, down to -10°F, making it suitable for most US zones. With low camphor content, it's also an excellent choice for culinary uses, drying, and aromatherapy.
Owner Satisfaction
4.6
/ 5
Category Rank
764
/ 2452
#764 in Bushes & Shrubs
Botanical Name
Lavandula x intermedia Sensational!™
/ Lavandula x intermedia Sensational!™
Who it's for
- Floral arrangers seeking abundant stems for bouquets and drying
- Gardeners in hot, arid climates needing resilient, low-water plants
- Pollinator enthusiasts wanting to attract bees and butterflies to gardens
Who should skip it
- Low-maintenance gardeners who prefer a hands-off approach to pruning
- Gardeners with heavy clay or poorly draining soil conditions
- Cold-climate growers in harsh regions needing guaranteed winter survival
Performance breakdown
Hardiness and Resilience
Superior cold tolerance handles freezing winters down to negative ten degrees.
Culinary Versatility
Low camphor content makes this an ideal choice for kitchen infusions.
Visual Impact
Large, dense flower spikes provide a striking display throughout the summer.
Maintenance Ease
Thrives in dry, sunny conditions with minimal ongoing care required.
Pollinator Attraction
Highly effective at drawing honeybees and other essential garden pollinators.
Growth Habit
Compact, dense structure fits perfectly into smaller garden beds or borders.
Key Specs
Botanical Name
Lavandula x intermedia Sensational!™
Hardiness Zones
Zone 5 through Zone 9
Light Requirements
Full Sun
Soil Moisture
Dry
Mature Height
18" tall (up to 30" when blooming)
Mature Spread
24" wide
Bloom Time
Mid summer to early fall
SKU
AM018670
Features
- Unusually large, dense purple flower spikes
- Fragrant flowers and foliage with sweet aroma
- Low camphor content for culinary uses
- Improved cold tolerance down to -10°F
- Durable in hot, sunny, and humid conditions
- Attracts pollinators like honeybees
- Silvery foliage provides an elegant look
- Compact and dense growth habit
What customers say
Customers overwhelmingly praise the Sensational Lavender for its exceptional aromatic qualities and vigorous growth. Reviewers frequently note the excellent health and size of plants upon arrival, crediting robust packaging for minimizing transit shock. This cultivar establishes rapidly, delivering a profusion of deep purple blooms that often exceed first-year expectations. The fragrance is consistently cited as intense and long-lasting, making it a favorite for borders and culinary use. While most report superior performance, a small number experienced initial dormancy issues related to specific microclimates. Despite minor challenges with initial care instructions for new gardeners, the consensus confirms this variety offers excellent hardiness and reliable bloom cycles, solidifying its reputation as a top-tier, fragrant choice.
Know before you buy
Sensational! is bred for improved durability, specifically offering better moisture and cold tolerance than many traditional lavenders. It also features larger, denser flower spikes and a lower camphor content, which makes it more suitable for culinary and aromatherapy uses.
This variety is hardy in USDA zones 5 through 9, meaning it can withstand winter temperatures as low as -10°F. It is also uniquely adapted to handle both high heat and humidity better than many other lavender cultivars.
At maturity, this plant reaches about 18 inches in height—extending to 30 inches when in bloom—and spreads to approximately 24 inches wide. Its compact, dense growth habit makes it a great choice for borders or containers.
Yes. Because it has a low camphor content, it lacks the medicinal, pine-like taste found in some other lavenders, making it a preferred choice for culinary applications, drying, and aromatherapy.
Sensational! Lavender requires full sun and thrives in dry soil conditions. Ensure you plant it in a location with excellent drainage, as it does not tolerate sitting in wet or soggy soil.
You can enjoy the large, purple flower spikes from mid-summer through early fall. The plant also provides year-round interest with its attractive, silvery foliage.
Still have a question?
Ask Hayley anything about this product before you decide.