Illustration
Lavender
Lavandula
Lavender blooms from June through August.
Months here are Northern Hemisphere months; in the Southern Hemisphere, shift them by six months.
Growing Lavender
Plant it in full sun. It prefers low water. It is hardy in USDA zones 5–9. Expect it to reach about 24 in tall and 24 in wide at maturity, in roughly 2 years (not yet checked).
What was checked
Mature height and spread, hardiness zones, sun and the trait tags were checked against named botanical sources for this plant. The bloom months and water need on this page were not, and each fact above says which. The planting, spacing and size sections are derived from these checked facts by a fixed rule, not checked separately, and the plant type is the library's own classification.
When to plant Lavender
Plant Lavender in early spring as soon as the soil is workable, or in early fall at least six weeks before your first frost, so roots establish in cool weather. Once settled, it blooms from June to August.
Month-by-month timing for your zone is on the planting calendar; if you garden near zone 7, the middle of this plant's hardy range, start with zone 7 in April. Derived from the plant's category, zones and bloom months plus typical zone frost dates, not checked separately.
How big does Lavender get?
24 intall5 ft 7 inan adult24 inwideSee Lavender in a garden plan: the planner shows it in 3D beside everything else you add, growing toward this size over the years.
How far apart to plant Lavender
Derived from the mature spread above by a fixed rule, not checked separately: spacing is the spread, center to center.
Space Lavender about 24 in apart, center to center, so each plant has room to reach its full width.
Add Lavender to a garden plan and the planner draws it at its full width, so you see the spacing before you buy.
Where these facts come from
Lavender's height, spread, hardiness zones, sun and trait tags were checked against 7 published sources on July 29, 2026. Each one is linked below with every fact it carried, which can include a fact this page still marks as not yet checked, because a source carrying a value is not the same as the value being held to the standard. Facts not in that list, and the planting, spacing and size sections, are not covered by these sources.
- NC State ExtensionPlant Toolboxheight, spread, hardiness zones, sun and trait tags
- American Meadowsheight, spread, sun and trait tags
- Cornell Cooperative ExtensionCornell University Home Gardening Flower Growing Guidehardiness zones, sun and trait tags
- University of Maryland ExtensionHome and Garden Information Centerheight, sun and trait tags
- extension.colostate.eduColorado State University Extensionsun and trait tags
- RHSRoyal Horticultural Societysun and trait tags
- ipm.ucanr.eduUC Statewide IPM Program (UC ANR)sun
How the checking works, and what each standard covers, is on the verified plants page.
Comes in 11 varieties across 4 colors
Same genus, similar care - pick the color you are growing.
Compare every variety in the Lavender group
Every figure is the variety's own page fact. Tap a name to open it.
| Variety | Color | Blooms | Hardiness | Sun | Size (H × W) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Edelweiss | White | Jun–Aug | Zones 5–9 | Full sun | 2 ft × 2.5 ft |
| French | Purple | May–Sep | Zones 8–9 | Full sun | 24 in × 24 in |
| Grosso | Purple | Jun–Aug | Zones 5–9 | Full sun | 2.5 ft × 2.5 ft |
| Hidcote | Purple | Jun–Aug | Zones 5–9 | Full sun | 18 in × 18 in |
| Hidcote Pink | Pink | Jun–Aug | Zones 5–9 | Full sun | 18 in × 18 in |
| Lavenderthis page | Purple | Jun–Aug | Zones 5–9 | Full sun | 24 in × 24 in |
| Munstead | Purple | Jun–Aug | Zones 5–9 | Full sun | 18 in × 18 in |
| Nana Alba | White | Jun–Aug | Zones 5–9 | Full sun | 12 in × 12 in |
| Phenomenal | Purple | Jun–Aug | Zones 5–9 | Full sun | 2.5 ft × 2.5 ft |
| Provence | Purple | Jun–Aug | Zones 5–9 | Full sun | 2.5 ft × 3 ft |
| Royal Velvet | Purple | Jun–Aug | Zones 5–9 | Full sun | 24 in × 20 in |
| Spanish | Purple | May–Aug | Zones 7–9 | Full sun | 1.5 ft × 3 ft |
Good to know about Lavender
Curated from university extensions, botanic gardens and other primary sources, with the source named on every note. A note reports what its source says; where that differs from a fact above, the fact above is this entry's stored value, and its mark says whether it has been checked.
Safety
On the ASPCA toxic list for dogs, cats and horses, though NC State rates severity Low; signs are nausea, vomiting and loss of appetite. Concentrated oil is worse. per ASPCA and NC State
Worth knowing
Wet soil, not cold, usually kills lavender. Sharp drainage is the one lever that fixes both winter survival and root rot, so raise the bed and add grit. per Illinois and Colorado
When to prune
Cold-climate guides say prune in spring once new green shows; NC State says shear right after flowering for a possible second bloom. Both work; never cut into bare wood. per NC State and Colorado
English lavender in the South
English lavender is cold-hardy to zone 9 but hates Southern heat and humidity. In the humid Southeast, grow lavandin, Spanish or French lavender instead. per NC State and Clemson
The fragrance chemistry
GC/MS of English lavender oil finds linalyl acetate near 51 percent and linalool near 30 percent, together about 80 percent of the oil: the source of its scent. per PubMed Central and NC State
Mint family but not invasive
It is in the mint family but does not run and colonize a bed the way true mint does; it grows as a tidy, clumping woody mound. per NC State
Deer and rabbit resistant
The aromatic oils make it one of the more reliably deer- and rabbit-resistant plants, but hungry deer or elk in low-forage areas may still sample it. per NC State and Colorado
What pairs well with Lavender
Good companions share its growing conditions and add something it lacks: an earlier or later bloom, a lower carpet in front, or structure through winter.
Creeping Phlox
Shares full sun and low water; blooms in mid spring, before this one opens; both are strong pollinator plants, and they feed in different months; lower at 6 in, for the front of the border.
Wisteria
Shares full sun and low to moderate water; blooms in mid spring, before this one opens; both are strong pollinator plants, and they feed in different months; echoes the purple.
Autumn Crocus
Shares full sun and low to moderate water; blooms in early fall as this one finishes; both offer pollinator forage, in different months; lower at 6 in, for the front of the border.
Crocus
Shares full sun and low water; blooms in late winter, before this one opens; both offer pollinator forage, in different months; lower at 4 in, for the front of the border.
Lilac
Shares full sun and low to moderate water; blooms in mid spring, before this one opens; both offer pollinator forage, in different months; taller at 10 ft, for the layer behind it.
Flowering Crabapple
Shares full sun and low to moderate water; blooms in mid spring, before this one opens; both are strong pollinator plants, and they feed in different months.
Viburnum
Shares full sun and low to moderate water; blooms in mid spring, before this one opens; both offer pollinator forage, in different months; taller at 6.5 ft, for the layer behind it.
Grape Hyacinth
Shares full sun and low water; blooms in early spring, before this one opens; both offer pollinator forage, in different months; lower at 8 in, for the front of the border.
Featured in these guides
Explore similar plants
You might also like
Design a garden with this
Drop this plant onto a 3D plan, see how it fills in, and watch your whole garden bloom across the year.