Lavender vs. Angelonia: The Differences Between These Two Popular Flowers!

Do you know the difference between lavender and Angelonia? If not, you’re not alone! These two plants are sometimes mistaken, and people often have trouble distinguishing them. Angelonia is being labeled as fake lavender because they’re somewhat the same. In this article, we’ll look at the key differences between lavender and Angelonia and explain why each is popular among gardeners and homeowners. We’ll also provide tips on how to grow these plants successfully in your garden or yard.

Flower Comparison

Lavender

It’s a plant valued worldwide for its scent, its ability to heal, and its beautiful bluish-purple color. It also brings insects that pollinate the garden. Lavender flowers are the main harvest source due to their highest concentration of these sebaceous glands. Blue, purple, or lilac flowers grow along with blunt spikes that rise on the leaves in a spiral of 6 to 10 flowers in each raceme around the stem. The individual flowers are small, and both the calyx and corolla are tubular. Flowers produce large amounts of nectar and are a favorite of honeybees, one of the major pollinators of lavender. Lavender produces small nut-like fruits, including seeds, but cultivated plants usually do not produce seeds, and reproduction is done by cutting or splitting, and planting roots.

Angelonia

At the end of strong stems with narrow green leaves, racemes of purple, white, or pink flowers that look like orchids bloom. Vertical flower spikes up to eight inches lengthy produce dozens of 3/4-inch vegetation on a stem. Flowers are two-lipped and barely tubular, in colorings of purple, blue, pink, red, lavender, coral, white, and bi-colors.

Leaves

Lavender

The leaf form is numerous throughout the genus. The gray-inexperienced leaves are simple, narrow, and elongated in maximum cultivated species, even though a few have broader, toothed, or serrated leaves. They are included in tiny, star-formed hairs known as trichomes, also determined by plant stems and flowers. Embedded in some hairs are glands that produce the aromatic oil that lavender is well-known for, which includes an excessive percent of the chemical linalool. The leaves are 2 inches long, lanceolate and green, with a silvery tinge.

Angelonia

Narrow lance-fashioned inexperienced leaves 1-½ to a few inches lengthy have barely toothed margins. Foliage is faintly scented with an apple or grape-like aroma that is greater mentioned on heat evenings.

Growth Form

Lavender 

It grows up to 13-16 inches tall. It can grow quickly with estimated 500 erecting stems. Clustering in a bunch and open, the range is from six inches to 30 feet wide. Buds are solitary at first. When two or three flower buds develop near every leaf stem, new leaves become thicker for some species. One study found more significant than 2 ounces of lavender per foot amid healthy common petals of thirty-foot tall cultivars grown outdoors! The flat green stalks keep off to 15 inches thin and smooth, with archways of foliated leaves and fluffy stems, which often develop several star-shaped heads.

Angelonia

Angelonia can reach a height of 12 inches and 14 inches. Despite its diminutive stature, it is a hardy perennial with a profusion of brightly colored flowers. They may grow slightly taller than the lavender surroundings until plants plant more foliage.

Growing Periods

Lavender

Seeds will germinate, and roots will form in 2 to 4 weeks. During the summer months, some varieties of lavender will begin blooming in their first year. Full maturity is reached by Lavender plants in two to five years. Every year, make sure to repot and prune the plants.

Angelonia

Leaves, flowers, and seed heads are all aromatized by this plant during the summer months. With its ability to withstand summer heat and humidity, Angelonia is an excellent choice for any sunny spot. The results from sowing seeds in germination will appear as little as 1-3 weeks.

Growing Conditions

Lavender

Lavender is readily propagated by division or cuttings. Angelonia is reproduced by layers and seeds, which have been described to sprout in soil with the help of root excretions from fallen blossoms if planted at the bottom of a flowerpot or potting container cover.

Angelonia

To germinate, Angelonia seeds require light; therefore, they should not be covered. Do not allow the soil surface to become dry. For seeds to germinate, the temperature must be between 70-75°F, so if necessary, use a heat mat. In ten to fourteen days, seedlings will emerge.

Planting Zone

Lavender

Lavenders thrive in the arid West, but they’re best grown as annuals or container plants in the South because they don’t do well in high humidity (except for Lavandula dentata and L. stoechas). The majority are hardy from Zones 5 to 9, except Spanish Lavender (L. stoechas), only hardy from Zones 7 to 9.

Angelonia

In zones 8–10, it can live for more than one year, but most people grow it as an annual. It may not live long in climates with extreme humidity (tropical), but that is the only possible situation where most people want to buy a lavender plant, probably because they don’t have enough water.

Garden Use

Lavender garden use

Lavender plants are often used in interior decorating. It is an excellent herb for ornamental use. Their delicate, mild-scented, pale purple flowers and silver foliage complement many other decorative and container plants. They are a beautiful accent to the garden, suitable for containers of any size because it has developed to become very tolerant even with the bending.

Angelonia

It can create borders around your flower beds and grow along the paths or walkways on a gravel foundation. It can grow in containers with some parts cut out compared to advantages such as an area dug up. Angelonia can take sunlight above them, where many plants would die back seeing this first contact problem.

Planting and Care Tips Similarities and Differences

Sun Exposure

Lavender

Lavender plants do best in full sun, which is also the best way to make sure they have a lot of buds and grow into big, full bushes. They don’t like a lot of shade, so don’t plant them where trees or other large plants will block the sun.

Angelonia

Angelonia is a very sun-loving plant, so they’re going to like full to hot or warm conditions much more than your average flower. Plant angelonia in a spot that receives at least 6 to 8 hours of direct sunlight. This is great in the spring when you want your flowers blooming a lot sooner.

Soil

Lavender

Lavender is grown in a wide variety of soil types, but the best plant is one that you grow in potting soil mixed with an equal amount of peat moss. This mix gives your lavender plants plenty to grab on to as they’re growing and allows them to get very well-hydrated for maximum blooming time. It usually prefers soil temperatures between 60°-65° F during the day and a bit cooler at night under 50° F when grown in pots since you can’t cover plants if keeping them indoors where pots may always be kept warm.

Angelonia

Angelonia is like a good, fertile soil mix. You may put whatever you like in your potting or flower planting mixes, including organic fertilizers and additives. The only thing is it should be proper dead organic fertilizer such as dolomitic limestone to feed the system what it needs. Pro-irrigation drink will help hungry root systems deeper into the ground.

It can do equally good within regular garden dirt or even flower potting compost—they don’t care. Neither as much water nor they’re going to have any more root problems either way. But if you want to give your plants more nutrients and root mass, try using these organic garden amendments.

Planting Methods

Lavender

Plant the lavender with 1 inch to 1.5-inch space between plants. To the same depth as you have potting soil in your pots, generally an inch or slightly deeper, depending on the size of your plant(s). Your lavender will use this space most efficiently—it’s going to lean against its roots when it starts blooming nicely young. Leave all those roots free-growing with space enough. It’ll help them produce better flowers and plant stronger.

Angelonia

Angelonia’s much easier to grow in the ground. No stones will be a problem. Just stick it into place and water lightly afterward by hand once they settle in after 12-24 hours. You can switch them up around or rearrange them if needed when planting in lots of gardens at once. As with all plants, if you have problems crop growing or wear out of just about any part of your Angelonia as it grows.

Watering

Lavender

At planting time, water lavender from the bottom up through the soil to make sure roots can fully incorporate. Once planted, water regularly during dry periods and more frequently in hot weather. Aim for every three days of rain or no less than once a week above 65°F. When they are upright, you don’t have any problems unless it’s extremely hot or extremely cold—too little is bad because that will stunt growth, but too much won’t encourage a healthy plant in the long term—more below later.

Angelonia

You need to water Angelonia much more frequently than lavenders in the ground except when it’s very dry: every 5-10 days. You can use weight as a method of watering, and I do so with great results.

Fertilizing

Lavender

When you first plant lavender, it’s good to put a handful of compost in the hole. Beyond that, these plants don’t need to be fed, and doing so can make your lavender less strong.

Angelonia

This unique plant can be hungry for nutrients. Before planting outside, put in a small amount of compost to feed it well. Your angelonia roots grow outwards and reach the surface layer, pulling themselves up vertically into their chosen position many inches underground. The root mass will have expanded to accommodate the new growing position. When watered appropriately with its allotment of nitrogen, it should develop strongly enough during those initial few years above ground.

Conclusion

Lavender and Angelonia are popular for gardeners due to their attractive blooms and aromatic scents. While lavender is known for its calming fragrance and purple flowers, Angelonia offers a wider range of colors, including pink, white, and blue. Regarding companion planting, lavender pairs well with other drought-tolerant plants like sage and rosemary, while Angelonia does well alongside other sun-loving annuals such as petunias or marigolds. Ultimately, the best companion plant will depend on the gardener’s specific growing conditions and aesthetic preferences.