Twickel Purple

Common Name: Twickel (or 'Twickes' or 'Twinkle') Purple Lavender also called 'Nana Compacta' or 'Compacta' by some (both of which are often sold in North America as Munstead, which is actually another variety)

Scientific Name: Lavandula agustifolia 'Twickel Purple' (Cultivar)

Flower Description: Stems, spikes 6 to 12 inches long with tapered flower heads. Spikes grow in a fan shape on the Twickel Purple lavender. Flowers usually 1 or more inches and much longer than width. On average they also have 6 to 10 whorls of flower buds along the stem below the flower heads. Half-inch-long trumpet-like corollas bloom out from calyxes of each bud. Calyx appears as brownish or greenish tissue enveloping the bottom of each corolla. Corollas open at random not all together. The Twickle Purple blooms are deep mauve.

Bloom Period: Once in June in most zones; mid to late May through to early June in Zone 7. Plant description: Small shrub, 2 to 3 feet in height and width. Foliage forms dome-like shape. If uncut branches may fall away from each other and leave plant open looking. Because of this all English lavenders are typically sheared to a tighter, denser version than they naturally would assume. Leaves narrow and lance shaped and up to 2 inches long. Grey-green foliage.

Hardiness and Planting Range: Most cold resistant of all lavenders. Hardy form Zone 5 (lows of -20 to -10 degrees F) to Zone 11. Can even be grown below USDA Zone 5 if micro-climate is right. Low of -25 degrees F is the cold weather limit.

Culinary use: Sweetest scented and flavored of lavenders are the English varieties which Twickle Purple belongs to. Can be used in all recipes calling for either flowers or foliage. Great in ice cream, sorbets, baked desserts, and candied flower assortments. Comments: Grouped with what are known as the 'Hardy' or 'English' or 'true' lavenders They are called English lavenders due to their adaptation to life in the cold climate of England. They were not however resistant to a fungal disease known as shab that swept through the English crop in the 1960s. These English varieties are a primary source for perfume. They have insecticidal uses against aphids and repel cockroaches. The Twickle Purple variety is from Twickle castle in Holland. It is one of the oldest varieties.