Lavender is one of my favorite plants growing in my garden. Its compact purple flower spikes bloom throughout the summer and are always buzzing with pollinator activity. When not blooming, its silvery green leaves form attractive mounds of vegetation that neatly complement my other herbs and perennials.
If I like lavender so much, why would I want a look-alike? Well, lavender can’t grow everywhere. It loves the sunny corner of my yard with somewhat dry soil. This plant wouldn’t appreciate the shade of my backyard or the low spot that always holds water after rain, so I must find other plants for these places. Plus, it’s nice to expand the variety of purple flowers in my yard and continuous color throughout the growing season.
Whatever your motives, if you like lavender because it smells great, has purple flowers that attract pollinators, or has interesting foliage, you’re sure to appreciate some of the following flowering plants just as much. Look for plants that are best suited to your specific growing conditions and your hardiness zone, and you’ll be ready to enrich your garden and take it to the next level!
Keep reading to learn more about 21 gorgeous lavender look-alikes!
Anise Hyssop
This appealing garden perennial is easy to grow from seed and makes a fine addition to your perennial bed or herb patch. Anise hyssop is native to northern North America. It thrives in dry to medium-moisture soil with full sun or light shade.
Pale lavender-hued spikes bloom from mid to late summer. The tiny flowers will be buzzing with bees, butterflies, and other beneficial insects. Hummingbirds may also stop by for a visit. The minty-scented leaves can be used to make tea, add zest to your next batch of jelly, or add to a potpourri blend. You can easily grow anise hyssop in containers or raised beds.
Astilbe
Astilbe is an extremely showy herbaceous perennial originating in Asia. These plants are widely cultivated and you’ll find many colorful hybrids with red, white, pink, and violet flowers. The dramatic, feathery blooms are a pollinator favorite you’ll wish they bloomed all year. Each hybrid has its own blooming season so if you plant several varieties, you can try to extend their showy season!
Astilbe likes plenty of sunshine but in warmer climates, they appreciate some afternoon shade. These plants like rich, moist, well-drained soil and benefit from mulching to help protect their shallow roots from drying out. Astilbe plants aren’t bothered by deer and rabbits and make a lovely addition to your woodland garden or partially shaded edge. Plants spread over time to form large, attractive clumps.
Basil
Sweet basil is a popular culinary herb native to tropical regions of Asia. This plant is a fast-growing annual that’s easy to start from seed or find seedlings at your local garden center in the spring. Basil is a great plant for containers and raised beds, herb gardens, or interplant it with your garden vegetables.
In ideal conditions, a basil plant can grow tall and bushy in a single season. Pinch off center stems and flowers to encourage more side shoots. These plants will bloom from mid-summer until the first frost. The clusters spiky clusters of pale purple blossoms are showy and attract many different pollinators. Deer and rabbits won’t bother basil plants.
Blue Anise Sage
Blue anise sage is a stunning herbaceous perennial native to South America. It’s winter hardy in warmer climates and can be enjoyed as an annual in cooler regions. This variety of sage performs best in full sun with moist, well-drained soil. As a member of the Lamiaceae (mint) family, this look-alike is related to lavender.
If you’re looking for a summer flower to entice hummingbirds to your garden, blue anise sage is an excellent choice. Butterflies and bees also frequent the flowers while, deer and rabbits don’t generally bother fragrant plants like sage. This bold plant makes an excellent standout in your perennial garden, spreading by underground rhizomes to form a dense colony.
Blue Vervain
Are you looking for a beautiful and versatile plant for your pollinator garden? Blue vervain grows well in a sunny location with moist soil. This wildflower is native to much of central and eastern North America and can easily be started from seed and grows up to five feet tall in ideal conditions.
Multi-branched spikes of showy purple-blue flowers bloom in the summer. These flowers are long-lasting and make interesting cut flowers, but you’ll also want to leave some for the butterflies and bees. Later in the fall, seed-eating birds will visit to forage on the abundant seed-filled fruits for a tasty meal.
Catmint
Catmint, also known as catnip, is an easy-to-grow ornamental mint with blooms that look surprisingly alike to lavender. This low-growing plant establishes quickly and spreads by self-seeding and rhizomes to form large colonies. Because of its vigorous growth, it’s an ideal plant for container gardening to help prevent unwanted spread. Grow it in full sun with dry to moist, well-drained soil.
Catmint reaches its peak bloom by late spring or early summer and, in ideal conditions, will continue blooming until early fall. The lilac flower clusters attract an abundance of pollinators and are a butterfly favorite. The leaves emit a strong minty scent when crushed and aren’t bothered by deer or rabbits.
Common Sage
Common sage is an aromatic herb native to the Mediterranean, commonly substituted as a lavender look-alike in colder regions. This sun-loving perennial has many culinary uses. Its large, fragrant leaves can be used fresh or dried and blended with other herbs to add flavor to soups, salads, meats, and vegetables. There are some highly ornamental varieties of common sage with colorful leaves, compact growth, and extra showy flowers.
This hardy plant blooms in the spring with spikes of small, pale purple, tubular flowers. These flowers are a pollinator favorite, attracting numerous butterflies and bees. Grow sage alongside other herbs in containers, raised beds, or with your flowers or vegetables. Common sage is a great companion plant to repel deer and attract beneficial insects to your garden.
Creeping Thyme
This vining lavender look-alike is a beautiful ground cover sure to delight in your herb garden or raised bed. Creeping thyme, also known as mother of thyme or wooly thyme, is an herbaceous perennial native to Europe. It’s a well-behaved ground cover that loves full sun and somewhat dry, well-drained soil.
Creeping thyme forms attractive, sprawling mounds. It starts blooming in spring and may bloom throughout the summer. Its clusters of tiny pinkish-purple blossoms are shades of pink, purple, or white, depending on the cultivar. Pollinators love the flowers, and the fragrant leaves stay evergreen in mild winter climates.
English Thyme
English thyme, also known as common thyme or garden thyme, is a lovely little herb native to southwestern Europe. It needs a sunny location with well-drained soil and is an excellent herb for container gardening and raised beds. Since thyme is compact and low-growing, it makes a great ground cover for borders and edges.
Thyme has many different cultivars with different leaf sizes and variegated colors. The flowers range from pink to purple and even white. The small, rounded leaves have a distinct fragrance and can be dried for later use or chopped and used fresh with your favorite soups, stews, and savory meat or vegetable dishes. Deer and rabbits don’t bother thyme, and pollinators love it!
Hoary Verbena
Hoary verbena is an herbaceous perennial native to central and eastern North America. This plant is drought-tolerant and easy to grow from seed. You’ll only need one plant to get started because verbena will start to spread by self-seeding and you’ll soon have an attractive colony of these colorful plants.
The hoary verbena develops tall spikes of small, vibrant purple, trumpet-like flowers. They open a few at a time, starting at the bottom of the spike and working up to the top. As the flowers open, any passing bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds will stop by for a sip of nectar. Hoary verbena loves moist soil and would be a great lavender look-alike for your rain garden or wetland edge that is too wet for true Lavandula.
Larkspur
Larkspur, also commonly known as Delphinium, is a large and diverse group of flowering plants. Native larkspurs occur throughout North America, and other species come from Europe, Asia, and Central America. Larkspurs generally appreciate rich, moist soil with full sun or partial shade, depending on the species.
There are many varieties and cultivars of larkspur found in garden centers and they are all highly ornamental. Larkspurs typically have spikes of large purple or bluish flowers, although you will also find them in white and varying shades of pink.
Hummingbirds and butterflies love these plants as they bloom in late spring and summer. Larkspur is poisonous to humans and pets, however, so take care to avoid any accidental ingestion of any part of this plant.
Leadplant
While leadplant grows considerably larger than lavender, its flowers are the perfect look-alikes. Leadplant forms multiple spikes of purple blooms. Butterflies and bees love the flowers. They are always buzzing with activity throughout the summer.
Leadplant is a shrubby woody perennial wildflower. This plant is native to prairies and grasslands of the Great Plains states. The leaves are highly showy and somewhat fernlike with pinnately compound silvery green leaflets. These plants have good drought-tolerance and would be a great addition to your xeriscape garden.
Lupine
Lupines are showy perennials with many colorful hybrids that are very popular with gardeners. The pea-like blooms come in a rainbow of colors, including deep purple, vibrant pink, and pale yellow, as well as an assortment of bicolor combinations. Their big, bold blossoms attract plenty of attention, so put them in a prominent, sunny location with rich, moist, well-drained soil.
Lupines prefer cooler climates and won’t generally perform well in extended hot and humid summers. You can start these plants from seed, but self-collected seeds from hybrids won’t breed true to the parent type. Lupines tend to be short-lived perennials with an average lifespan of between two and five years.
Mealycup Sage
Mealycup sage is a tender perennial native to the Southeastern United States and Mexico. It easily overwinters in warmer climates but can still be grown as an annual in cooler climates. If you want to keep your plants growing over the winter, you can bring them inside or take cuttings in the fall to root in your kitchen window and replant outdoors the following spring.
This fragrant plant is a member of the mint family and forms dense clumps of highly aromatic leaves. It blooms in the spring and summer, attracting butterflies, bees, and hummingbirds. After flowering, goldfinches will stop by to forage on the seed pods. Mealycup sage and its varied cultivars have spikes of small tubular flowers in shades of purple and blue.
Obedient Plant
Obedient plant is a showy perennial wildflower native to moist fields and open woodlands of eastern North America. While you’re unlikely to mistake this plant as a look-alike, it’s still a great option for a moist, partially shaded spot where a sun-loving lavender wouldn’t survive.
Showy purple, pink, or white spikes of densely packed tubular flowers bloom from the bottom of the spike to the top. Obedient plants reach full bloom in mid-summer or early fall, providing nectar for a variety of pollinators. These plants have a long blooming period and also make great cut flowers to grow in your native wildflower garden.
Purple Betony
It’s hard to imagine a place in your garden where purple betony wouldn’t be welcome. This beautiful herbaceous perennial is native to Europe and northern Africa. It’s easy to grow, low-maintenance, showy, and attracts pollinators.
Purple betony, also known as wood betony, is easy to start from seed. If first develops a basal rosette of heart-shaped leaves. Spikes of reddish-purple flowers bloom in the summer and fall. The flowers are each small, with a short upper hood and a prominent lower lip. Butterflies and bees love these nectar-rich flowers, making this an excellent plant to attract more pollinators and beneficial insects to your landscape.
Rosemary
Rosemary is a familiar herb native to the Mediterranean region. This evergreen shrub is a fun plant to grow because it looks great, smells great, attracts pollinators, repels deer, and can be harvested as a fresh or dried culinary herb.
Rosemary has short, narrow, stiff leaves with a strong herbal scent. Its flowers bloom in late spring and early summer and appeal to an assortment of pollinators. The flowers are small, hooded, and pale lavender, forming at the end of upright leafy branches. Mature rosemary shrubs become densely bushy with thickened woody stems. These attractive plants look great in your herb garden or as a shrubby accent plant.
Russian Sage
Russian sage is a woody perennial shrub that looks fantastic in a sunny landscape with well-drained soil. Russian sage is native to southern and central Asia and is winter hardy in moderate to warm climates. It can grow up to four feet tall in ideal conditions and forms an attractively rounded clump so be sure to give it plenty of space.
Russian sage blooms throughout the summer. It produces multiple spikes of purple flowers that pollinators adore. Bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds find these plants irresistible, making this plant a super addition to your pollinator-friendly landscape. The attractive silvery green leaves have a strong herbal fragrance and aren’t bothered by browsing deer or rabbits.
Speedwell
Speedwell is an easy-to-grow herbaceous perennial native to Europe and Asia. It grows best in a sunny spot with moist, well-drained soil. Use it in your perennial garden, prairie garden, butterfly garden, or cutting garden.
Speedwell blooms during the summer months and has dramatic, long-lasting flowers. Tall, leaf-lined stems are topped with densely packed spikes of purple blossoms. The flowers open from the bottom up, attracting a plethora of pollinators. Flowers are commonly purple but there are also cultivars with both pink and white flowers.
Wood Sage
Wood sage is a natural hybrid between woodland sage (S. nemorosa) and meadow sage (S. pratensis). This attractive herbaceous perennial is a member of the mint family with square stems and fragrant leaves. Use wood sage in your butterfly garden, scented garden, or container garden.
This pleasing plant includes a variety of cultivars with purple, pink, or white flowers. Wood sage is a summer-blooming perennial with spikes of small, hooded flowers. These fast-growing plants will easily fill in their space to form dense bunches. Use them along borders and edges for a dramatic display.
Woodland Sage
Woodland sage is a clumping herbaceous perennial native to Europe and Asia. This low-maintenance plant is easy to grow with plenty of bright light and rich, moist, well-drained soil. Use it in a meadow garden, cottage garden, or hummingbird garden.
Enjoy your woodland sage as it blooms from mid to late summer. These plants grow in densely rounded clusters and burst into bloom with multiple flowering stems. The flowers are typically purple, although its many cultivars include deep blue and vibrant pink flowers to expand the color spectrum. A lively assortment of pollinators will enjoy these plants, and you shouldn’t have any issues with deer or rabbits eating them.
Frequently Asked Questions
It’s a great idea to grow lavender with plants that love similar growing conditions. Find a few companions that like full sun and well-drained soil. Since it stays low and compact, place your lavender at the front edge so it can be seen. Place the taller plants at the center and rear of your plot where their larger size won’t shade out the lavender. If you’re planting in a raised bed, keep the smaller plants around the edge and the taller plants in the center.
Try to use several different plants that bloom during different seasons. It can be interesting to have an entire garden blooming all at once but you’ll extend your flowering duration and pollinator appeal by using plants that bloom in spring, summer, and fall. If you want an herb garden theme, select a few compatible perennial herbs like lavender, rosemary, chives, and thyme to grow together.
Anyone who loves the unique smell of lavender might be interested in a scented garden. Fortunately, there are plenty of showy plants with pleasantly scented leaves. Many of them thrive in the same conditions as lavender and can be grown together in your sunny landscape with well-drained soil.
Some fantastic scented plants include any variety of mint such as catmint or mountain mint. Russian sage has attractive flowers and pleasantly scented silvery-green foliage. Mealycup sage and wormwood (e.g. Artemisia ‘Powis Castle’) both have beautiful foliage that smells good. Common herbs like rosemary and thyme are also perennial favorites with highly scented leaves.
Lavender has fairly specific growing needs and won’t thrive in every garden. One of the easiest alternatives you’ll find is catmint. You can easily start a patch of catmint by seed, cuttings, or division. It grows well in a variety of well-drained soil types as long as it gets plenty of sunlight. Use this hardy plant in a raised bed, container garden, naturalized area, edges, or in a xeriscape or rock garden. You may find other plants that are easy to manage in your area but catmint is a great option to start with!
