Avenue

Lavender

Variety Description

Variety used for comparison: 'Otto Quast'

Summary: Plant growth habit for 'Avenue' is compact and bushy rounded while it is more spreading and bushy rounded for 'Otto Quast'. 'Avenue' has denser plants than'Otto Quast'. The infertile bracts of 'Avenue' are light blue violet to violet while those of 'Otto Quast' are similar in colour but more pink.

Description:

PLANT: compact and bushy rounded growth habit, dense, erect outer flowering stems at full flowering

FOLIAGE: medium intensity of green, strong intensity of gray
LEAF: no incisions of margin

FLOWERING: begins early
FLOWERING STEM: medium thick, medium green, moderate pubescence, no lateral branching above foliage
FLOWER SPIKE: cylindrical, moderate number of flowers
FERTILE BRACT: violet, narrow to medium width
INFERTILE BRACT: oblanceolate, short to medium length, weak undulation of margin, light blue violet to violet

Origin & Breeding History: 'Avenue' originated from the open pollination of Lavandula stoechas L. conducted by the breeder, Jakob Kjär-Larsen, in Odense N, Denmark in 1995. The objective was to develop new Lavandula cultivars with attractive floral and foliage characteristics. 'Avenue' was selected based on its plant growth habit, foliage colour, flower colour and long flowering season.

Tests & Trials: Trials for 'Avenue' were conducted in a polyhouse during the summer of 2005 at Variety Rights Management in Oxford Station, Ontario. The trial included 10 plants of each variety. The plants were grown in 15 cm pots spaced 30 cm apart. Measured characteristics were based on measurements taken from 10 plants or parts of plants. All colour characteristics were determined using the 2001 Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) colour chart.

Comparison table for 'Avenue' with reference variety 'Otto Quast'

Infertile bract colour

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Lavender: 'Avenue' (below) with reference variety 'Otto Quast' (above)