How to Plant Lavender (and Keep It Coming Back Every Year)

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At a glance

Pick a lavender that survives your winter

Before you dig, check the botanical name on the tag. The three groups sold in garden centers have very different cold limits, and planting the wrong one is the most common reason lavender is "perennial" in one yard and an annual in the next.

Common names are unreliable. NC State Extension lists French, Spanish, butterfly, bract and topped lavender all as common names for L. stoechas, and Missouri Botanical Garden also lists Spanish, French and butterfly lavender as its common names; other species are sometimes sold as "French lavender" too. Go by the Latin name. Zone ratings also differ between sources (MBG lists English lavender for zones 5–8, NC State 5–9), and MBG notes English lavender is slightly more winter-hardy than lavandin. For cultivar-by-cultivar picks and a side-by-side of the species, see the guide to English vs French vs Spanish lavender.

When to plant lavender, by zone

Plant when the roots will have several weeks of mild weather to grow into the surrounding soil before either a hard freeze or peak summer heat. The RHS recommends planting in April or May as the soil warms, and warns never to plant in winter, when young plants are vulnerable to rotting in cold, wet soil. The table below applies that rule by zone; treat it as approximate and adjust to your local frost dates.

Look up your average frost dates with the frost date lookup by ZIP code.

How to plant lavender: step by step

1. Choose the sunniest, best-drained spot you have. Lavender needs full sun, at least 6 hours of direct light (NC State). A slope, a raised bed, the top of a retaining wall or a gravelly strip along a driveway beats a rich, level border.
2. Check drainage. Dig a hole about 12 inches deep, fill it with water, and watch it drain. If water is still standing hours later, plant in a raised bed or berm instead of in the native soil. NC State notes that lavender will die out in heavy clay,, and the RHS says it will not thrive in heavy clay or any soil that becomes waterlogged, recommending a mound or raised bed on heavy ground.
3. Test and adjust pH. English lavender prefers neutral to alkaline soil (NC State), and the RHS notes it grows well on chalky and alkaline soils. If a soil test shows acidic soil, add lime at the rate the test recommends (see raising soil pH with lime). A home pH test is enough to tell you whether you have a problem.
4. Keep the soil lean. Do not dig compost or manure into the hole. The RHS says lavender prefers poor, dry or moderately fertile soil that is quite low in nutrients; rich soil grows soft, floppy plants that rot sooner. Adding coarse grit improves drainage.
5. Dig wide, not deep. Make the hole about twice as wide as the root ball and no deeper than it. Loosen circling roots gently.
6. Set the crown at or slightly above grade. The point where stems meet roots should sit level with, or a touch above, the surrounding soil so water runs away from it. Never bury the crown.
7. Space for air. For a hedge, the RHS suggests about 12 inches (30 cm) between compact plants, or about 18 inches (45 cm) for larger cultivars. For individual specimens, give more room: NC State lists a 2–3 foot spread for English lavender and notes that good air circulation helps prevent leaf spot.
8. Water in, then back off. Soak the root ball at planting and keep the soil lightly moist for the first few weeks while roots grow out. After that, water only when the top couple of inches are dry.
9. Mulch with stone, not bark. A thin layer of gravel or pea stone keeps the crown drier; Missouri Botanical Garden suggests rock instead of organic mulch to combat high summer humidity. Keep any organic mulch well away from the stems.

Planting lavender in pots

Containers are the easiest fix for clay soil, and the only realistic way to keep tender types such as L. stoechas through a cold winter. Use a pot with a drainage hole and a gritty, free-draining mix; the RHS recommends a peat-free multipurpose or loam-based compost with lots of coarse grit mixed in (up to 25 percent by volume). Unglazed terracotta dries faster than plastic, which suits lavender.

Container plants dry out faster than in-ground plants, so check them more often in summer, but still let the top of the mix dry between waterings. In zones colder than the plant's rating, move pots to an unheated, bright, sheltered spot (an unheated garage with a window, or against a south-facing wall) for winter and water sparingly.

Watering and feeding

During the first growing season, water regularly in dry spells so roots can establish. Once established, lavender is drought tolerant (NC State), and the RHS says in-ground plants rarely need watering unless drought is severe; container plants need regular watering in summer. Overwatering, not underwatering, is what kills it.

Skip fertilizer in ordinary garden soil; the RHS notes lavender likes soil that is quite low in nutrients. Extra nitrogen produces lush, weak growth that is more prone to rot and disease and flowers less. If a plant on very poor sand is clearly struggling, a light spring application of a slow-release fertilizer is the most it needs.

Pruning: the step that keeps lavender alive longer

Unpruned lavender becomes woody at the base, splays open in the center, and declines. Two rules matter most:

• Timing. The RHS recommends trimming once a year in late summer, just after flowering has finished, removing spent flower stems and some of the current year's growth so plants stay compact. NC State likewise advises cutting English lavender back yearly and removing spent flower spikes after the flowers fade. Many gardeners also do a light shaping in spring once hard frosts are over. Avoid heavy pruning in fall in cold zones.
• Never cut into bare wood. The RHS notes that lavender does not break new growth easily from old stems, so do not cut back into the woody stems. Always leave some green, leafy growth on every stem. Missouri Botanical Garden suggests cutting English lavender back to about 8 inches in spring every 3 years to control size and promote new growth, which works only where there is still green growth at that height.

Sharp bypass pruners or hedge shears make this quick.

Is lavender a perennial? Winter survival by species

Yes. Lavender is a woody, evergreen perennial (technically a subshrub), but only where winters fall within its hardiness range. English lavender comes back every year in zones 5–9 per NC State; lavandin in zones 5–8 per NC State; L. stoechas is hardy in zones 8–9 per NC State and is usually grown as an annual or overwintered in a pot elsewhere.

Cold alone is rarely the whole story. NC State notes English lavender does not like wet feet and will die out in heavy clay, and the RHS warns that young plants are vulnerable to rotting in cold, wet soils. Missouri Botanical Garden adds that plants may not survive winter if soils are not well drained, or if temperatures drop below 0°F without protective snow cover. A lavender that dies over winter within its zone range has usually drowned rather than frozen. Good drainage, a gravel mulch and no fall feeding are the best winter protection. For more on why plant tags blur the line, see perennials vs annuals.

Harvesting flowers and growing lavender for the kitchen

For dried bundles and the strongest fragrance, cut stems when the first flowers on each spike are opening, in the morning after dew has dried. Hang small bunches upside down in a dark, airy place to dry. If your main goal is culinary lavender (which species to choose, when to cut for flavor and how to use it), see growing lavender as a culinary herb, which covers that in detail.

For companions that share lavender's taste for sun and sharp drainage, see perennials for sandy soil.

Problems and how to fix them

NC State lists leaf spot and root rot as the main problems for English lavender; for L. stoechas it also suggests monitoring for aphids, spider mites, whiteflies and thrips.

Common mistakes

Frequently asked

Is lavender a perennial?

Yes, lavender is a woody perennial wherever winters fall within its hardiness range. English lavender (Lavandula angustifolia) is perennial in USDA zones 5–9 per NC State Extension, while Spanish lavender (L. stoechas) is hardy only in zones 8–9 per NC State. Outside those ranges it behaves like an annual unless overwintered in a pot.

When is the best time to plant lavender?

The RHS recommends planting in April or May as the soil warms, and never in winter, when young plants can rot in cold, wet soil. In cold-winter areas, plant in spring after the last frost so roots establish before winter. In mild-winter zones, early fall also works if roots have several weeks to settle before cold weather. Avoid planting into the heat of midsummer.

Does lavender need full sun?

Yes. NC State Extension lists full sun, meaning 6 or more hours of direct sun a day, for English lavender. In partial shade it grows loose and leggy, flowers poorly and is more prone to disease.

How often should you water lavender?

The RHS advises watering newly planted lavender regularly during its first summer. After that, established in-ground lavender rarely needs watering unless drought is severe, and only when the top couple of inches of soil are dry. Wet soil, especially in winter, is a far bigger threat than drought.

Does lavender spread?

Not aggressively. Lavender grows as a clump that widens slowly and does not send out runners. Some plants drop seed that sprouts nearby, but it is easy to pull. To get more plants, take cuttings rather than relying on self-sowing.

Do deer eat lavender?

Deer usually leave it alone. Missouri Botanical Garden lists deer among the conditions English lavender tolerates, and NC State Extension rates lavandin and Spanish lavender as deer resistant. No plant is fully deer-proof when deer are hungry.

Is lavender safe for cats and dogs?

NC State Extension lists lavender as a low-severity poisonous plant for pets, naming linalool and linalyl acetate as the toxic compounds and nausea and vomiting as the signs, usually only when large amounts are eaten. If a pet eats lavender, contact your veterinarian or a pet poison control line.

Why does my lavender keep dying?

Poor drainage is the usual cause. NC State Extension notes English lavender will die out in heavy clay and is susceptible to root rot from overwatering, and the RHS says it will not thrive in any soil that becomes waterlogged. Replant in a raised, gravelly spot with no compost and no bark mulch, and stop routine watering once plants are established.

Sources

1. Lavandula angustifolia, NC State Extension Plant Toolbox
2. Lavandula stoechas, NC State Extension Plant Toolbox
3. How to grow lavender, Royal Horticultural Society
4. Lavandula x intermedia, NC State Extension Plant Toolbox
5. Lavandula angustifolia (Plant Finder), Missouri Botanical Garden
6. Lavandula stoechas 'Bandera Deep Rose' (Plant Finder), Missouri Botanical Garden

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