The Pause Lavender Farm Northern Lavender Project
What We’re Testing
Could lavender truly thrive in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula? Yep. Before Pause Lavender Farm began we had already asked the question and done the research.
We tested a lot of young plants using the "survival of the fittest outside in a U.P. winter method". We purchased the same cultivars from different sources for comparison and we grew some from seed. We planted the same cultivators in different conditions. The plants were rated for zones 4 - 6.
Year after year, we were looking for characteristics beneficial to northern growers, including winter survival, strong growth, healthy root development, plant form, bloom performance and other qualities. The front of the property looked like an agricultural experiment - because it was! We took cuttings from the hardiest plants, let them grow outside over winter, observed, then eventually took cuttings from the hardiest of that batch, and so on and so on. The plants we sell came from cuttings from those cold-hardy plants!
But that's not the project I want to share!
The Bee Collaboration
We had already researched and tested which lavender plants survive northern winters and by taking cuttings from each generation we had plants with a solid cold hardy history in their genetics.
The bees decided to take it a step further. Through the natural process of cross pollination, they created new varieties of lavender plants, born here on Pause Lavender Farm, from our cold-hardy stock!
Would they be even better suited to northern gardens in zones 4, 5, and 6?
That question became the Pause Lavender Farm Northern Lavender Breeding Project. Yes, it's wordy, but it sounds cool - we hope.
Strong Roots and Sweet Lavender
Two of the plants we are very excited about are one that focuses on creating deep strong roots quickly and another that is compact, dwarf, has white flowers and smells/tastes very sweet. Developing a new lavender takes years of observation, propagation and testing to make sure the characteristics that make it special can be reproduced consistently.
Some candidates will move forward and be sold commercially. We think this is very exciting because the lavender will be unique northern selections that were born right here in the Upper Peninsula Michigan at Pause Lavender Farm.
U.P. born. Northern tested. Pause Lavender Farm grown.
Follow the Pause Lavender Farm Northern Lavender Breeding Project as we introduce promising candidates, share selected trial results and invite you to help us name future lavender varieties. Be the first to learn when these new plants are available for the first time.