Growing lavender as a culinary herb

I grow lavender 'Munstead' in a raised bed on the south-facing side of my house in Melville, Long Island. It has been in the same spot for six years. The soil is sandy loam and drains fast, which suits lavender well. The thing I've come to understand about growing lavender for culinary use.

I grow lavender 'Munstead' in a raised bed on the south-facing side of my house in Melville, Long Island. It has been in the same spot for six years. The soil is sandy loam and drains fast, which suits lavender well. The thing I've come to understand about growing lavender for culinary use specifically is that cultivar selection matters more than most herb guides acknowledge. Not all lavenders taste good. Many taste of camphor and soap. The ones worth growing in the kitchen are a short list.

Which lavender is culinary-grade

Per NC State Extension, Lavandula angustifolia — true English lavender — has the lowest camphor content of the cultivated lavenders and is the species used in culinary applications. The culinary-grade cultivars with documented use:

• 'Munstead': Compact, 18-24 inches. Early bloomer. Good flavor balance — sweet with moderate floral intensity. My plant of six years.
• 'Hidcote': Compact, 12-20 inches. Deep purple flowers. Slightly more intense flavor than 'Munstead'.
• 'Vera': Taller, 24-30 inches. Considered the classic culinary cultivar in the UK. Less commonly available in American nurseries.
• 'Folgate': 18-24 inches. Good flavor; blooms slightly before 'Munstead'.

Lavandula x intermedia cultivars (lavandins) — including 'Grosso', 'Provence', 'Super', and 'Phenomenal' — are hybrids with L. latifolia. They are larger, more vigorous plants with high camphor content. Per Penn State Extension, lavandins are grown commercially for essential oil extraction, not culinary use. Using 'Grosso' in cooking is a common mistake that results in an unpleasant medicinal flavor.