Whether you garden in the ground, in raised beds, on the windowsill, or anywhere else, lavender is a great addition or re-addition to your plant family. Read on for simple, straightforward specifics about growing lavender.
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Family | Container Size | Good Companions | Bad Companions | Soil Conditions | Germination | Sun | Water | Temperature Range | Height | Lifespan | Reproduction | Yield Per Plant | Ingestibility | Further Reading
What Family Does Lavender Belong To?
Lavender (Lavandula spp.) belongs to the Lamiaceae family, also known as the mint family.
Some of its relatives include peppermint, thyme, and rosemary.
What Size Container Should I Use for Growing Lavender?
The minimum container depth recommended for lavender is 12 inches.
Learn more in our Choosing the Right Planter for Your Container Garden article here.
What Are Good Companion Plants for Lavender?
Some of lavender's best companions are as follows:
- Apple
- Pear
- Echinacea
- Gaillardia
- Aster
- Rose
- Cauliflower, cabbage, and other Brassicas
- Aloe vera and other succulents
- Rosemary
- Sage
- Thyme
- Basil
- Motherwort
- Celery
- Yarrow
- Blueberry
- Toothache plant
What Are Bad Companion Plants for Lavender?
Lavender is not compatible with every plant. Some things to avoid planting with lavender are as follows:
- Impatiens
- Hosta
- Camellias such as Camellia sinensis
- Watercress
- Marshmallow
- Fennel
What Soil Conditions Does Lavender Need?
Lavender prefers well-draining soil with a pH of 6.7 to 7.3.
It is tolerant of low to medium fertility soils, so there is usually little to no need to add amendments.
How Long Does Lavender Take to Germinate?
Lavender takes 2-5 weeks to germinate at a temperature of 65-75°F.
Lavender is notoriously tricky to germinate. But like its cousins, mints, its germination is improved by a period of cold stratification before being moved to the warmer temperature range listed above. Try cold-stratifying lavender seeds for 1-4 weeks before moving them to warmer soil.
Read more about cold stratification in the Germination section of our Growing Mints article here.
How Much Sun Does Lavender Need?
Lavender needs full sun.
Sun recommendations can vary by region, and lavender grown in hot areas or in warmer conditions than the ideal temperature range noted below may need more shade.
How Much Water Does Lavender Need?
Lavender should be watered deeply when the top 2 inches of soil are dry.
This is usually once every 1-2 weeks, but it depends on weather conditions and other factors. See our How Often to Water Plants article here for more information about watering amounts and frequency.
What Is the Ideal Temperature Range for Growing Lavender?
Lavender grows fastest in temperatures of 50-85°F.
This is its ideal temperature range. Although it will grow in temperatures both cooler and warmer than this range, growth could be slower or even stunted.
Minimum and maximum temperatures will vary by variety. Some lavender varieties are bred for longer harvests and others for warmer climates.
How Tall Does Lavender Get?
The average height of lavender is 1-3 feet.
Is Lavender Annual, Biennial, or Perennial?
Lavender is a perennial herb, meaning that it lives for longer than a couple years.
More specifically, many healthy lavender plants live for 10-15 years.
How Does Lavender Reproduce?
Lavender reproduces by seed.
How Much Lavender is Produced Per Plant?
For lavender, how much is produced per plant (also called the yield) largely depends on the type of lavender and, at times, the variety. Plant size and growing conditions can also affect yield.
But many mature lavender plants produce up to 1,000 flower stems per plant per year.
Can Lavender Be Ingested?
Lavender flowers, leaves, and flowering tips are edible.
Lavender flowers and leaves have nervine and antispasmodic properties and can be used in herbal preparations. The most common preparations are tea and tinctures. An herb:solvent weight ratio of 1:5 at 40% alcohol is suggested for a lavender tincture.
There are no known safety concerns associated with ingesting lavender flowers, leaves, or flowering tips.
Further Reading
This article is intended as a quick-reference guide for gardeners. Consult your seed packet or seed catalog for variety-specific information.
When you have a bumper crop of lavender rolling in, you may not have enough time for long, complicated recipes or many-step preservation procedures. Check out my article on quick, simple uses for lavender here!
Lavender is featured in these Plant to Plate articles: