How to Grow Lavender
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How to grow lavender comes down to sun and drainage. Lavender is a Mediterranean-type, shrub-like perennial grown for its gray or silvery foliage and scented flowers. The extension pages we opened agree that it needs full sun and soil that drains freely, and the main risk is wet ground, especially in winter. They disagree on how many hours of sun are enough and how cold a winter it can survive, so this guide shows both answers.
Quick answer
- Give lavender the sunniest spot you have, with soil that drains quickly. The sources disagree on the exact number of hours.
- Space plants 24 to 36 inches apart, and set the crown slightly above the soil with gravel around it to keep it dry.
- Water regularly the first year, then only when the soil dries out. Skip added fertilizer.
- Prune in spring as new growth appears, and cut back again after flowering, but never into bare wood.
Form, uses and pollinators
Illinois Extension calls English lavender the most popular species, and describes it as a shrub-like plant one to two feet high and wide, with silvery, serrated foliage and bluish-purple flowers. Both the leaves and the flowers carry scented oil glands. The UF/IFAS sheet gives a typical height of two to three feet, with soft leaves on erect, square stems, and notes that some cultivars stay shorter and more compact.
Gardeners use lavender in several ways. The UF/IFAS sheet calls it tidy and low-maintenance, and suited to borders, knots, rock gardens and planting with roses. PlantTalk says the variation in size, foliage and flower color makes it useful as an edging plant or at the back of a border. Illinois Extension notes that bees and other pollinators are drawn to its scent and nectar. The UF/IFAS sheet adds that lavender oil is a mainstay in perfumery and widely used in soaps and cosmetics.
Sun: how many hours?
Every source wants sun, but the hour count differs. Illinois Extension says lavender needs full sun for at least eight hours each day. The Larimer County Master Gardener article says lavender likes six to eight hours of sun, and describes its own bed as getting seven to eight hours. The PlantTalk Colorado page, writing about containers, asks for at least four to five hours. The UF/IFAS sheet says the plant grows in full sun and does best in a sunny location, without giving an hour count.
The practical reading is to choose the sunniest spot you have. The Master Gardener article lists infrequent watering and low humidity alongside its sun figure, so a bright, dry site may matter as much as the exact hours.
Soil: lean, drained and never soggy
The UF/IFAS sheet says lavender grows best in a sunny location with dry, somewhat infertile soil. It lists acidic, slightly alkaline, sandy, loam and clay soils as tolerated. Illinois Extension says lavender loves well-drained soil, and that gardens with poorly drained soil can grow it in containers or raised beds filled with potting mix that contains no fertilizer. For mixes made for raised planters, see our guide to soil for raised planters.
Clay needs a particular fix. The Colorado Ask Extension answer says lavender grows well in alkaline soil, and that very clayey ground should be amended with compost rather than sand, because sand mixed into clay can harden like concrete. The Larimer article describes a bed of sandy loam with a pH of 8.0, which it says drained fast enough to suit lavender without any added material.
On pH, the UF/IFAS sheet gives a lower limit, saying lavender is very sensitive to pH and should be kept above 6. The Colorado sources describe alkaline beds that grow lavender well. None of the pages we opened gives an upper limit, so an alkaline bed is workable on the evidence we have, but the sources do not set a ceiling.
Planting and spacing
Both the UF/IFAS sheet and the Larimer article give 24 to 36 inches between plants. The Larimer article notes that each plant needs that room, without competition from other plants, to reach full size. The UF/IFAS planting table lists planting as possible year-round in zones 7 and 8.
The Larimer article sets the crown slightly above the soil and surrounds it with gravel to keep the crown dry. Its author top-dressed the bed with very small stone for drainage, and installed drip irrigation to help new plants settle in. Both steps aim at the same risk the UF sheet names, which is wet soil around the crown.
Starting new plants from cuttings
A 2017 Ask Extension answer, which quotes propagation steps from the CSU fact sheet, says the best time to take cuttings is right after the plant has bloomed. Use stems that carry no flower buds, strip the leaves from the lower half, and insert the cutting into well-draining sterile potting soil or horticultural vermiculite. Rooting hormone is not necessary, the answer says. Water well, mist regularly, and expect roots in about three weeks.
The same answer advises potting rooted cuttings into pots two to four inches across, and planting them in the garden once they have a vigorous root system. It also warns that plants rooted in water may have a hard time adjusting to soil moisture levels after planting.
Water and feeding
Illinois Extension says newly planted lavender should be watered regularly during its first year. Once established, it is drought tolerant and should be watered only when the soil dries out. The PlantTalk page says container lavender should have soil kept lightly moist, not soggy. The Larimer article describes lavender as liking infrequent water, which fits the same pattern.
Feed it very little. Illinois Extension says added fertilizer is not necessary, because it can cause excessive foliage growth and fewer blooms. The UF/IFAS sheet describes the ideal soil as somewhat infertile, which points the same way.
Pruning in spring and after bloom
Pruning advice in the sources is consistent on timing but differs in detail. The table sets out what each source says.
| Source | Spring | After bloom or in summer |
|---|---|---|
| Illinois Extension | Prune once when new growth appears, removing dead stems down to the first set of green leaves | Prune off one-third to one-half of the plant after flowering; the plant may bloom a second time. Do not cut into leafless wood. |
| PlantTalk Colorado | Cut back by one-third, or to live stems, as new leaves begin to appear | Remove old stalks as flowers fade, to encourage reblooming |
| UF/IFAS | Can be pruned in early spring | Not stated |
Clear pruning rules matter because cutting too deep can leave no green growth to regrow. Illinois Extension is the most specific on that point, warning against cuts into leafless wood.
Flowers, drying and sachets
Cut flowers for drying at the right moment. The UF/IFAS sheet says flowers for drying must be harvested before they open. Illinois Extension says to cut flower stalks when the blooms are about to open, for the best quality and scent, and to lay them flat or hang them in a cool, dry place to dehydrate. Both sources point to the same window, before the flowers fully open.
Uses are well described. The UF/IFAS sheet says dried stems can be bound into wands or added to potpourri and sachets. The PlantTalk page adds that lavender makes excellent sachets and potpourri, and that fresh and dried flowers work in arrangements.
Winter and hardiness
Hardiness is where the sources differ most. The UF/IFAS sheet lists USDA zones 5B through 8, and says lavender in zone 8 may decline because of summer heat. Illinois Extension gives zones 5 to 8 and says it overwinters there. The Larimer article says lavender cultivars are hardy in zones 4 or 5 and survive most Colorado winters. The PlantTalk page is more cautious, saying lavender is not reliably hardy in its region, though it still deserves a place in the garden.
Winter protection is the common thread. The UF/IFAS sheet says to protect the crowns with several inches of mulch during winter, and warns that plants suffer more winter injury in wet, heavy soil. PlantTalk says plants typically freeze back in winter, and that mulch helps the Hidcote cultivar do well in zone four of the Colorado foothills.
Cultivars and sizes
Cultivars vary in height, flower color and hardiness. The PlantTalk page gives sizes and traits for four examples, and the table below sets them out. The UF/IFAS sheet lists more cultivars, including Backhouse Purple, Bowles Early, Folgate, Gwendolyn Anley, Irene Doyle, Lodden Blue, Mitcham Grey, Munstead, Rosea and Summerland Supreme, and notes that the names more or less describe the flower color.
| Cultivar | What the PlantTalk page says |
|---|---|
| Nana Alba | About one foot tall, gray foliage and white flowers; a dwarf for edging |
| Munstead | Compact, with lavender-blue flowers that open about a month earlier than other types |
| Hidcote | About two feet tall, with deep violet flowers and silver-gray foliage; does well in zone four of the foothills if mulched |
| Twickel Purple | Hardy English type with gray leaves and dark violet flowers on extra-long spikes |
Dwarf types work at the front of a bed or as an edge. For edging materials, see our guide to flower bed edging.
Containers and small spaces
Lavender suits containers. Illinois Extension says poorly drained yards can grow it well in containers and raised beds with a potting mix that has no added fertilizer, and that it can be grown as an annual or a perennial. The PlantTalk page says any type of lavender works in containers and gives a fragrance indoors, provided it gets at least four to five hours of sun and its soil stays lightly moist, not soggy.
Pests and problems
The UF/IFAS sheet says pests rarely affect the long-term health of lavender. Its main warning concerns winter injury in wet, heavy soil rather than insects. For specific pests, this guide gives no treatment, and any product should be used according to its label and local extension advice.
What we could not verify
What the sources do not say
The sources do not agree on sun hours, and this guide does not pick one. They also disagree on hardiness, with zones 4 and 5 in the Larimer article, zones 5 to 8 in the UF/IFAS and Illinois pages, and not reliably hardy in the PlantTalk text. None of the pages gives an upper pH limit. The Colorado State fact sheet 7.245, which several pages cite, returned HTTP 404 at the address we checked, so we did not read it. The pages we opened give no planting dates for Colorado. The Illinois PDF article we opened is undated and short, so it is not used. Nothing in this guide is a product claim.
How we chose
We limited the guide to university and state extension pages and one extension Q&A. We opened eight pages that returned HTTP 200. Five gave usable growing information and were used: the UF/IFAS sheet, the Illinois Extension article, the PlantTalk page, the Larimer Master Gardener article and the Ask Extension answer. We did not use an undated short Illinois PDF, a Maryland page or a Colorado county page, because each opened to navigation text without growing advice. Two other URLs returned HTTP 404 and do not count. Where pages disagree, we report both answers, and we recommend no products.
Frequently asked questions
How much sun does lavender need?
Plan for full sun. Illinois Extension says at least eight hours a day, the Larimer Master Gardener article says six to eight, and the PlantTalk page asks for four to five hours when lavender is grown in containers. The UF/IFAS sheet says the plant grows best in a sunny location.
How far apart should lavender be planted?
Both the UF/IFAS sheet and the Larimer article give 24 to 36 inches between plants. The Larimer article says each plant needs that space without competition from other plants to reach full size.
Can lavender grow in clay soil?
It can, with the right fix. The Ask Extension answer recommends compost rather than sand for very clayey soil, because sand mixed with clay can harden like concrete. Illinois Extension suggests containers or raised beds where the ground drains poorly. The UF/IFAS sheet warns that wet, heavy soil increases winter injury.
When should lavender be pruned?
Prune in spring as new growth appears, and cut back again after flowering, as Illinois Extension describes. PlantTalk recommends cutting back by one-third in spring and removing spent stalks in summer. Do not cut into leafless wood.
Will lavender survive a cold winter?
The sources disagree, so check your zone. The UF/IFAS sheet and Illinois Extension cover zones 5 to 8, the Larimer article says its cultivars are hardy in zones 4 and 5, and PlantTalk calls lavender not reliably hardy in its region. Mulch the crowns in winter, and keep the soil from staying wet.
Sources
- https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/publication/FP337/pdf (opened 2026-10-23): University of Florida IFAS Extension, FPS-337, Lavender, English Lavender
- https://extension.illinois.edu/node/21429 (opened 2026-10-23): University of Illinois Extension, Lavender: A must-have plant for all gardens
- https://planttalk.colostate.edu/topics/annuals-perennials/1015-lavender/ (opened 2026-10-23): Colorado State University Extension, PlantTalk Colorado, Lavender
- https://source.colostate.edu/tips-on-growing-lavender (opened 2026-10-23): CSU Extension Larimer County, Master Gardener article, Tips on growing lavender
- https://ask.extension.org/kb/faq.php?id=416074 (opened 2026-10-23): Ask Extension, answer on propagating lavender
