Bought a plant called a cotton lavender today. It was in the herb section and does not smell like lavender.?

Cotton Lavender

Santolina chamaecyparissus

Sometimes known as Grey Lavender, Lavender Cotton or Grey Santolina.

This aromatic plant has been grown in English Gardens since the Sixteenth century, where it was often used as a space filler in knot gardens or to edge paths and walks.

Nicholas Culpepper writing in 1649 assures us that it could be used as an antidote for all sorts of poisonous bites.

However its main use was to deter moths from munching their way through clothing - especially woollen clothing. It was mixed with English Lavender or Rosemary and put into muslin bags and hung amongst clothes – and is still used for this purpose today.

Despite its name it is not related at all to English Lavender and is a member of the daisy family.

It is a hardy perennial shrub (to zone 7) growing to 32 inches or 80 cm and has lovely silvery grey green aromatic leaves.

In July and August it has small button-like flowers that unlike the leaves have a rather unpleasant smell.

Cultivation:

It prefers a light well drained soil in a sunny position and is very good at tolerating drought.

It can be clipped in late spring or early summer but never in autumn and propagated from cutting in late July.

Uses.

Cotton Lavender is a good companion plants for roses and can be used as ground cover if spaced 24 inches or 60 cm apart.

It looks good as edging to paths and borders and will keep its leaves in all but the hardest winters.

Cotton Lavender

Lavender is a herb (culinary and medicinal) and a flower... I have a jar of dried lavender flowers in my herb & spice rack... I would also never dream of buying ready-mixed "herbs de provence" which does not list lavender, because I consider it an imperative addition! Add a few crumbled lavender flowers to the next mix of shortbread you make... It is a delicious addition! Medicinally it is very good at soothing headaches and lowering tension levels. It also helps people sleep, which is why it was traditionally added to laundry in cupboards. I use it and often "refresh" lavender bags with lavender oil.