UK plant library · shrub

Lavender

Lavandula angustifolia (English lavender); also L. × intermedia, L. stoechas · Lamiaceae

Fragrant, evergreen, drought tolerant and loved by bees

Photo: Isiwal, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Sun: Full sun
Soil: Poor to moderately fertile, free-draining. Tolerates chalky soil; dislikes heavy clay or waterlogging
Soil pH: Neutral to alkaline; thrives on chalky soils
Water: Drought tolerant once established
Hardiness: English lavender (L. angustifolia) and its hybrids are the hardiest. French and tender lavenders are less hardy: overwinter frost-free
Height and spread: 30-90cm tall, 60-90cm spread (English lavender)

Guv's tipTrim lavender just after flowering in late summer, but never cut into the old bare wood. It won't forgive you, I'm afraid.

Through the year

Jan

Feb

Mar

Apr

May

Jun

Jul

Aug

Sep

Oct

Nov

Dec

Sow or plant

In flower

Prune

Timings are for the UK as a whole. Northern and exposed gardens often run a couple of weeks later.

When to plant

Plant in spring, Mar-May (April or May is best). Never plant in winter

Flowering

Flowers late spring to summer

Pruning

Trim annually in late summer (Aug-early Sep) just after flowering. Do not cut into old bare wood

Making more plants

Softwood cuttings in early to midsummer, semi-ripe cuttings in late summer, hardwood cuttings after flowering

Watch out for

Pest

Rosemary beetle

Look for: Metallic green-purple striped beetles and grey larvae eating leaves

What to do: Hand-pick or shake onto newspaper; tolerate light damage

Pest

Sage and Ligurian leafhoppers

Look for: Pale mottled patches on upper leaf surfaces

What to do: Usually tolerable; no action normally needed

Disease

Xylella

Xylella fastidiosa

Look for: Leaf scorch, wilting and dieback (not yet found in UK)

What to do: Notifiable; buy UK-grown plants, report suspected cases

Always read and follow the label on any treatment, and check it is approved for use where you live.

Safety and spread

Pets and people: Toxic to dogs, cats and horses (linalool, linalyl acetate), causing nausea and vomiting, according to the ASPCA. Low severity to humans

Weed risk: Lavender is a high-risk host for Xylella fastidiosa; plant movements require plant passports

Checked against two or more reputable gardening sources. How we check our facts

Growing somewhere else? See this plant for the USA.

Keep it by the back door

The Plant Doctor and the Guv's book

Printable pest and disease charts with real photographs, and all 50 UK plants in one book.

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