English lavender

Sun

Full sun, ideally at least 6 hours of direct sunlight daily.

Water

Water regularly during establishment, letting the soil dry somewhat between waterings. Established plants need occasional deep watering during prolonged drought; container plants need more frequent checks.

Soil

Well-drained, lean to moderately fertile soil, preferably neutral to alkaline. Avoid waterlogged clay; use a raised bed or a container if drainage is poor.

Height

1-3 ft (0.3-0.9 m), including flower stems

Spread

2-3 ft (0.6-0.9 m)

Flowers

Late spring to midsummer, depending on climate and cultivar; usually violet-blue or purple, with pink and white cultivars also available. A lighter repeat flush sometimes follows trimming.

Foliage

Narrow, aromatic, grey-green to silvery leaves. Usually evergreen, but foliage may be damaged or partly lost in severe winters.

Growth

Moderate; usually reaches a useful size within 2-3 growing seasons.

Care needed

Low

• Plant with the crown at soil level and leave room between plants for air circulation.
• Water at soil level, allowing the surface to dry between waterings; do not keep the root zone constantly moist.
• Avoid routine feeding and rich manure, which encourage soft, floppy growth.
• Use a thin gravel mulch if needed, keeping it clear of the crown; avoid moisture-holding mulch against the stems.
• Grow container plants in a free-draining mix in pots with unobstructed drainage holes.
• Do not divide established woody plants; take cuttings to replace ageing specimens.

Pruning. After the main flowering flush, remove spent stems and lightly shorten the leafy growth, leaving green leaves below every cut. In colder climates, leave substantial shaping until spring when new growth shows, and avoid cutting into bare old wood, which often fails to reshoot.

Spring

Once growth starts, remove dead or winter-damaged shoots and lightly shape plants, keeping cuts within leafy growth.

Spring

Plant after severe frosts have passed, and water new plants through their first growing season.

Early summer

Harvest flower stems as the first flowers open if you want fragrant dried bunches.

Summer

Trim after the main flowering flush, leaving plenty of green foliage.

Late summer

Take semi-ripe cuttings from healthy, non-flowering shoots.

Autumn

Clear fallen leaves from the crown, check drainage and avoid hard pruning before winter.

Winter

Keep outdoor containers freely drained and protect their root balls from prolonged severe freezing.

• Plant as a low hedge beside a sunny path, where brushing the foliage releases its scent.
• Repeat in gravel borders with catmint, yarrow and ornamental grasses for a restrained, drought-tolerant planting.
• Use clipped rows around herb beds or formal compartments to provide an evergreen framework.
• Grow in sunny courtyard containers where garden soil is too wet, using repeated pots for rhythm.

Garden styles it suits: English country, French country (Provençal), Herb parterre, Dry gravel garden, Mediterranean and Sensory garden.

Plant it with: Catmint, Yarrow, Bearded iris, Thyme, Santolina and Upright stonecrop.

Wildlife: Flowers provide nectar and pollen for bees, including bumblebees, and attract butterflies. Leave some flowers unharvested if supporting pollinators is a priority.

• Root or crown rot: plants wilt or die in wet soil. Improve drainage, reduce watering and remove badly affected plants; do not replant into the same waterlogged conditions.
• Woody, open centres: usually caused by age or missed pruning. Trim lightly every year; replace plants that have little leafy growth rather than cutting hard into bare wood.
• Winter damage: exposed shoots may brown or die back. Choose a sheltered, freely drained site and wait for spring growth before removing damaged stems.
• Poor flowering or floppy growth: move plants into full sun and stop high-nitrogen feeding; avoid persistently rich, wet soil.

Contains linalool and linalyl acetate and is considered toxic to cats, dogs and horses if eaten; foliage and flowers may cause digestive upset and reduced appetite. Small accidental nibbles are generally less concerning than substantial ingestion or exposure to concentrated lavender oil, which should be kept away from pets. It is not known to be toxic to people in normal culinary amounts, but swallowing essential oil can be harmful and skin contact may cause irritation.

• Lavandin (Lavandula × intermedia)

  Usually larger, with longer flower stems that often branch into three flower heads; English lavender generally has shorter, unbranched flowering stems.

• Spanish lavender or French lavender (Lavandula stoechas)

  Has dense flower heads topped by conspicuous upright, petal-like bracts resembling rabbit ears; English lavender lacks these showy top bracts.

• Fringed lavender or French lavender (Lavandula dentata)

  Has distinctly toothed leaf edges, whereas English lavender has smooth-edged leaves.

The species name angustifolia means 'narrow-leaved'; despite its common name, English lavender is native to southern Europe rather than England.

Propagation. Take non-flowering softwood cuttings in late spring or semi-ripe cuttings in late summer, rooting them in a free-draining medium. Seed is possible but germination can be slow and uneven, and named cultivars do not reliably come true.

Accepted botanical name

Lavandula angustifolia

In the US and Canada

Introduced in the lower 48 states.

Native range

France, Italy and Spain.

Measured

Average height 100 cm.

Sources: GBIF (CC BY 4.0), USDA PLANTS and Trefle (CC BY 4.0). The care and design notes are LandscapeGPT's own.