Gardening Plants & Flowers Herbs

How to Grow and Care for English Lavender

English lavender, also referred to as common lavender, is often considered an herb but is actually an herbaceous perennial with a semi-woody growth habit. It's frequently grown for its dry its leaves and flowers, to make sachets and potpourri, and for its oils used in sleep aromatherapy. English lavender grows in mild conditions, thriving in full sun and well-draining soil.

However, though English lavender's signature fragrance is beloved, it can be toxic to people and pets if ingested.

english lavender

The Spruce / Phoebe Cheong

Common Name English lavender, common lavender
Botanical Name Lavandula angustifolia
Family Lamiaceae
Plant Type Perennial, herbaceous
Mature Size 1-2 ft. tall, 2-3 ft. wide
Sun Exposure Full, partial
Soil Type Loamy, sandy, silt, well-drained 
Soil pH Neutral, alkaline
Bloom Time Summer
Flower Color Purple, white, pink
Hardiness Zones 5-9 (USDA)
Native Area Mediterranean
Toxicity Toxic to people, pets

English Lavender Care

English lavender provides good mid-summer color to the garden and is often used in perennial borders and rock gardens as well as in herb gardens and scent gardens. Here are the main care requirements for English lavender:

  • Choose a sunny spot, ideally with six hours or more of direct sunlight, though English lavender can grow in partial shade, too.
  • Prepare well-draining soil that leans on the dryer side.
  • Water occasionally when English lavender is first getting established, but then don't water much unless in prolonged periods of drought.
  • Avoid fertilizing this plant.
closeup of English lavender
​The Spruce / Phoebe Cheong
bee on lavender
The Spruce / Adrienne Legault
harvesting English lavender
The Spruce / Phoebe Cheong

Light

Grow English lavender in full sun. Shady locations usually cause the plant to become leggy produce fewer blooms. In very hot climates, though, the plants respond well to some shade in the heat of the afternoon.

Soil

English lavender must be planted in a relatively sandy or gritty but very well-draining soil. Very humusy, damp soils frequently cause root rot. Strive for a soil similar to its native Mediterranean region, where the soil is dry and infertile. Adding organic material to the soil is not only unnecessary but might cause problems.

Water

Young plants should be watered once every other day for the first week. Once established, they are quite drought-tolerant and don't like too much water, which could inhibit their ability to bloom. Water mature plants about once per week or so based on your climate, increasing the frequency to about every four days after flower buds form to promote a healthy harvest.

Temperature and Humidity

These plants grow best in conditions that are warm but not oppressively hot. They prefer relatively dry climates and respond poorly to high humidity.

Fertilizer

Feeding is usually not necessary with English lavender. Fertilizing English lavender may inhibit its ability to flower.

Types of English Lavender

  • L. angustifolia 'Hidcote' is a very popular and fragrant shorter variety (about 20 inches tall) with a mounded growth habit and dark purple flower spikes.
  • Lavandula x intermedia 'Hidcote Giant' is a larger version with long stems, achieving a height of 36 to 40 inches with very fragrant bright violet flower spikes.
  • L. angustifolia 'Munstead' is a slow-growing mounding variety 18 inches tall with rosy-purple flower spikes.
  • L. angustifolia 'Sarah' is a 12-inch-tall compact cultivar with medium purple flowers that are ideal for containers.
  • L. angustifolia 'Jean Davis' is a small, slow-growing variety with light-pink flowers that grows to about 18 inches tall.

Pruning

Remove faded flower stalks to promote continued bloom. You can prune to shape in spring after new stems and leaves appear. A light pruning again in late summer or early fall before the first frost encourages good air circulation, which guards against rot. So if you have the time, pruning twice a year can be beneficial for your plant. English lavender typically blooms only once per season, but some varieties might send up a second flush of blooms after pruning.

Once the plants are well established, in their second season and beyond, it's usually best to prune the new spring growth after the plants leaf out, cutting about one-third of the green stalks. Never cut into the old woody stems. Shearing the plants to about eight inches from the ground in early spring every three years or so helps to control the plants' size and promotes new growth.

You can also dry English lavender that you have pruned to make your own sachets and potpourri. To do this, harvest the flowers just as they open and then hang bunches upside down by the stems to dry in a cool dark room with plenty of ventilation.

Propagating English Lavender

Lavender is much easier to propagate through stem cuttings than by the challenge of growing plants from seed. Take these easy steps to propagate lavender plants:

  1. Use a clean and sharp tool to cut six-inch-long shoots that do not have a flower or bud. Remove the lower leaves.
  2. Dip the cut ends into rooting hormone.
  3. Plant cuttings in a pot filled with potting soil or sand.
  4. Keep the cuttings in a part-shade location and water frequently until they are well rooted (in about three weeks) for planting outdoors or in an indoor container.

Potting and Repotting English Lavender

English lavender can be grown in pots with well-draining soil, as long as its placed in a location that gets enough sunlight. You will know it's time to repot the plant when you see roots coming out of the bottom.

When choosing its new pot, be sure to choose a container that is one size up and has a drainage hole. Preferably, choose a terracotta pot that will help wick away excess moisture from the soil. Keeping the root ball together, move the plant into the new pot with fresh soil that drains quickly.

Overwintering

English lavender might not survive through the winter if the soil is too wet or if temperatures dip well below zero degrees Fahrenheit without protective snow cover or mulch. At the cooler northern edge of its hardiness range, these plants should be protected over winter with a thick layer of mulch until spring. To combat issues with high humidity levels, mulch them with rock or gravel rather than organic mulch.

Common Plant Diseases

English lavender is not affected by many diseases. However, it is susceptible to leaf spot and root rot. Remove affected leaves succumbing to leaf spot. Plants with leaf spot might require better air circulation. To prevent root rot, do not overwater your plants; they do not do well in constantly moist soil.

How to Get English Lavender to Bloom

When planted in the proper spot, with enough sunlight and proper soil, English lavender should supply you with blooms year after year.

Bloom Months

English lavender typically blooms in late May or June depending on your location, and it tends to stay in bloom for about a month.

What Do English Lavender Blooms Look and Smell Like?

The actual flowers on lavender plants are small, densely packed, and shaped somewhat like pinecones. Regarding their namesake color, lavender blooms are typically a purple shade. Both the flowers and the leaves emit the signature fragrance, a combination of woodsy and sweet.

How to Encourage More Blooms

First off, make sure English lavender is getting enough light. Though it can grow in partial sun, a full sunlight location is better. Additionally, avoid fertilizing this plant, which can actually hinder flowering. Lastly, avoid overwatering. You may even want to transplant it into a spot with better-draining soil if you believe consistently moist soil may be your issue.

Caring for English Lavender After It Blooms

Once your English lavender is done blooming, cut back the flowers. It may send out a second round of blooms if the summer is particularly cool. Otherwise, wait until early next spring to prune.

Deadheading English Lavender Flowers

Deadhead spent English lavender flowers regularly to encourage the plant to send out even more flowers. Of course, English lavender is prized for its blooms, so consider making a sachet or potpourri with your harvest.

FAQ
  • Is English lavender easy to care for?

    It's very easy to maintain if the plant is growing in the right conditions: medium to dry infertile soil in full sun. It dislikes fertile soil, humidity, soggy soil, and overly hot conditions.

  • How fast does English lavender grow?

    It has a moderately slow growth rate. Prune new growth in the spring to maintain a rounded shape; do not prune its woody stems.

  • What is the difference between English and French lavender?

    The French variety of lavender (Lavandula stoechas) prefers a warmer climate and is not as cold-hardy as its English cousin. It is also somewhat more sensitive and less durable than English lavender. Because nursery labeling is sometimes inaccurate, make sure you are buying true English lavender (Lavandula angustifolia), especially if you live in the colder zones of its hardiness range.

  • Can English lavender grow indoors?

    English lavender is typically grown outdoors, but it can thrive when potted indoors if the plant is given a minimum of four to six hours of bright, direct sunlight each day. It also prefers low-humidity environments with consistent, moderate temperatures.

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  1. Lavender. ASPCA.

  2. Lavandula angustifolia. North Carolina State Extension.

  3. “Lavandula Angustifolia - Plant Finder.” 

  4. Lavandula angustifolia. Missouri Botanical Garden