The inflorescence is crowned by a mass of purple elongated ovoid bracts about 5 cm long.

At the top of the spike are a number of much larger, sterile bracts (no flowers between them), 10–50 mm long and bright lavender purple (rarely white).

It blooms in spring and early summer, from the month of March in its native habitat, depending on the climate in which it grows.

[8] This species is more tender than common lavender (Lavandula angustifolia), being less frost-resistant, but harsher and more resinous in its oils.

The following cultivars have won the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit:-[9] The flowers are used in aromatherapy to prepare infusions and essential oils that contain ketones (d-camphor and d-fenchone) and alcohols (borneol and terpineol).