Thumbelina Leigh

Lavender

Variety Description

Varieties used for comparison: 'Hidcote' and 'Munstead'

Summary: 'Thumbelina Leigh' has shorter plants with shorter flowering stems and shorter spikes than both reference varieties. 'Thumbelina Leigh' has shorter leaves than 'Hidcote'. The leaves of 'Thumbelina Leigh' are medium green while those of the reference varieties are grey green. The attitude of the leaves in relation to the stem is a more acute angle for 'Thumbelina Leigh' while those of the reference varieties are more perpendicular. The whorls of flowers on the spike are denser for 'Thumbelina Leigh' than they are for both reference varieties. The colour of the calyx is dark violet for 'Thumbelina Leigh' while it is light green for 'Munstead'.

Description:

'Thumbelina Leigh' is a lavender variety with a bushy plant growth habit. The plants are dense to very dense and the outer flowering stems are erect at full flowering. The foliage has moderate intensity of green colour and weak to moderate intensity of grey colour. The main colour of the upper side of the leaves is medium green and there are no incisions of the leaf margin.

The flowering stems of 'Thumbelina Leigh' are thin and have a weak to moderate intensity of green colour. Pubescence of the flowering stem is dense. Lateral branching above the foliage on flowering stems is absent. The whorls of flowers on the spike are dense. The spike is cylindrical in shape and there are a moderate number of flowers per spike. There are no infertile bracts. The calyx is dark violet with dense pubescence and the corolla is medium violet.

Origin & Breeding History: 'Thumbelina Leigh' was discovered in September of 1994 by the breeder, Elsie K. Hall, as a chance seedling of Lavandula angustifolia Mill. It was selected based on its compact plant growth habit and brilliant blue violet flowers.

Tests & Trials: The test and trial for 'Thumbelina Leigh' was conducted in a polyhouse at BioFlora Inc. in St. Thomas, Ontario during the summer of 2005. The trial included 15 plants of each variety. All plants were grown from rooted cuttings and transplanted into 1 gallon pots on April 21, 2005. All colour characteristics were determined using the 2001 Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) colour chart and measured characteristics were based on ten measurements.

Comparison tables for 'Thumbelina Leigh' with reference varieties 'Hidcote' and 'Munstead'

Plant height (cm)

Leaf length (cm)

Flowering stem length (cm)

Spike length (cm)

Colour of calyx

Colour of corolla

Click on image for larger view

Lavender: 'Thumbelina Leigh' (left) with reference varieties 'Hidcote' (centre) and 'Munstead' (right)