Sea Lavender

The blue mounds in this picture are Sea Lavender in a landscape blended with Golden Creeper and other native plants.  In a natural situation, the groundwater is only a few feet down and salt spray from the ocean thickens the leaves. Thickening is their defense against drying, and salt air  keeps fungus off the leaves.

In a planting, it is necessary to have deep rich soil and in some cases irrigation once a week, or as needed to keep the plant full and growing.  If you place permeable ground cloth around the plant and a three inch layer of mulch over that, the retained moisture should be plenty.

There is nothing like a mound of sea lavender in the front yard to provide a soft, silvery welcoming feel to the property.  Compare these properties with century plants and cactus near the walkway.  Not very welcoming.

Light trimming may be necessary once a year or two, but don't leave leafless stubs or you will kill the plant.

The sea lavender is in the borage family whose members often contain alkaloids that butterflies use to attract their mates.  Male queen and soldier butterflies love the dead leaves in particular and several may be seen soaking up these chemicals from moist dead leaves on the plant or ground.  In fact, you can gather the leaves and place them on a window sill to view the butterflies up close, like during a child's birthday party.

At Meadow Beauty Nursery we have over 100 of these available, so come by and take a look.

Lignum Vitae as the most beautiful entryway plant in South Florida

April is the time of year that lignum vitae is in bloom, which makes up for its drab appearance in February and March.  All of the sudden, the old yellowed leaves drop and are replaced by dark green growth and deep blue flowers.  By fall, the yellow pods will have started to open and the whole tree is covered with seeds surrounded by a deep red aril.

Plant this tree in your front entranceway or somewhere that you can see it clearly.  It is slow growing and as tall as wide.  You will need to stake it for a couple of years to force it into an upright position or just let it spread out as it pleases.  A Lignum Vitae will live for thousands of years and makes a great memorial tree.  It is related to the Creosote Bush of the Southwestern U.S.  This bush lives for 11 thousand years or more.

The wood is very hard and was once used to make bearings for boat propeller shafts.  Of course most were cut down for this purpose so that the plant is now classified as endangered.  To see large specimens, go to Lignum Vitae Key in the Florida Keys.  Key West also has quite a few planted in the city.  It can take 26 degrees, but I wouldn't go farther north than Martin county with it.

I like to use Quailberry, Twinflower, Havana Scullcap or Pineland Snowberry as a low groundcover beneath it.