GardenPerennial Herb · zones 5–8 · 29 varieties
English Lavender
Lavandula angustifolia
Lamiaceae — the same plant family as basil, bee balm, mint, rosemary and 11 more here. Relatives share pests and diseases, which is why rotation plans group by family.
This is English lavender. French and Spanish lavender are different plants, and what is here will not fit them.
English Lavender (Lavandula angustifolia) is a perennial herb for USDA zones 5–8. It wants full sun and pH 6.5–7.5 soil, with about 0.5–1 in of water weekly. Watch for grasshoppers and root rot. Below: its full sourced profile from 7 extension sources, plus a planting calendar timed to your frost dates.
Typical dates for zone 6b — set your zone or ZIP for yours. Timing is a guide from the crop's sourced growth stages; confirm with your local frost dates and extension before you sow.
What we will not put a number on
We do not give a feeding rate for this crop, and that is deliberate rather than a gap. The figures published by extension services are pounds of nitrogen per acre for a production field — they do not convert safely to a raised bed or a pot without knowing your soil test and your fertilizer's analysis, and guessing errs toward burning roots. It is also why every chart you find online disagrees with the next one.
Site & soil
- Hardiness zones
- 5–8
- Sun
- Full sun
- Soil pH
- 6.5–7.5
- Soil texture
- Sandy, Loam, Well drained
- Frost tolerance
- Hardy
No published figure for the temperature frost starts to hurt it and the temperature that would kill it. We looked — where a number is missing here it is missing from the research, not skipped. The crop’s frost and heat tolerance above still applies.
The plant
- Mature height
- 1–2 ft
- Mature spread
- 1–3 ft
- Growth rate
- Moderateest
- Spacing in row
- 18–24 in
- Between rows
- 24–36 inest
- Planting depth
- 0–0.25 inest
- Container size
- 5–6 gal — low end is the minimum, high end is better
- Support
- Self-supportingest
- Grown from
- Cutting, Division, Seed
Water & feeding
- Water needs
- Low
- Water per week
- 0.5–1 in/wkest
- Critical water
- Establishment, Floweringest
- Feeding
- Low
Timing & fruiting
- Harvest cues
- First flowers
Edible parts per source: flower.
Compiled from the extensions cited below. Which ones actually show up depends on your region — your extension's local list is the last word.
Different parts differ — the edible part is the flower; the notes below flag other parts or preparations.
Petsdogs, cats, horses
Recorded exactly as the source states it — not medical or veterinary advice. If a person or animal may have eaten a toxic part, call Poison Control (1-800-222-1222) or your vet / the ASPCA line (888-426-4435).
| Variety | Type | Habit | Days | Color | What it is known for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Anouk Lavender | Spanish | Upright | — | Purple | Devil Mountain Wholesale Nursery describes this asdraws bees and butterflies |
| Betty's Blue Lavender | English | Mounding | — | Blue | Jordan Valley Water Conservancy District — Conservation Garden Park records this asgets by on less water |
| Blue Cushion Lavender | English | — | Purple | NC State Extension records this asgets by on less water · deer usually leave it alone · rabbits usually leave it alone · the flowers are edible | |
| Buena Vista Lavender | English | — | Purple | NC State Extension records this asgets by on less water · deer usually leave it alone · rabbits usually leave it alone · the flowers are edible | |
| Ellagance Purple Lavender | English | — | Purple | NC State Extension records this asgets by on less water · deer usually leave it alone · rabbits usually leave it alone · the flowers are edible | |
| Ellagance Sky Lavender | English | — | Purple | NC State Extension records this asgets by on less water · deer usually leave it alone · rabbits usually leave it alone · the flowers are edible | |
| Ellagance Snow Lavender | English | Upright | — | White | NC State Extension records this asgets by on less water · deer usually leave it alone · rabbits usually leave it alone · the flowers are edible |
| Fern Leaf Lavender | Multifida | Mounding | — | Purple | Renee's Garden describes this asstrongly scented · draws bees and butterflies |
| Folgate Lavender Heirloom | English | Mounding | — | Purple | Sage Creations Farm describes this asgrown for cooking · takes the cold |
| Ghostly Princess Lavender | Spanish | Upright | — | Bicolor | Devil Mountain Wholesale Nursery describes this assmaller than most · draws bees and butterflies |
| Goodwin Creek Grey Lavender | Lanata X Dentata Hybrid | Mounding | — | Purple | NC State Extension records this asgets by on less water · deer usually leave it alone · rabbits usually leave it alone · the flowers are edible |
| Grosso Lavender | Lavandin | Mounding | — | Purple | Chicago Botanic Garden describes this asstrongly scented |
| Hidcote Lavender Heirloom | English | — | Blue | NC State Extension records this asgets by on less water · deer usually leave it alone · rabbits usually leave it alone · the flowers are edible | |
| Impress Purple Lavender | Lavandin | Spreading | — | Purple | NC State Extension records this asgets by on less water · deer usually leave it alone · rabbits usually leave it alone · the flowers are edible |
| Jean Davis Lavender | English | — | Pink | Chicago Botanic Garden describes this astakes the cold · grown for cooking | |
| Lady Lavender | English | Upright | — | Purple | All-America Selections describes this ashappy in a pot · draws bees and butterflies · smaller than most · small enough for a pot |
| Melissa Lilac Lavender | English | Mounding | — | Purple | Ashwood Nurseries describes this asdraws bees and butterflies · smaller than most |
| Munstead Dwarf Lavender | English | Spreading | — | Blue | West Coast Seeds describes this asstrongly scented · happy in a pot · small enough for a pot |
| Munstead Lavender Heirloom | English | — | Purple | Botanical Interests describes this asgrown for cooking · the flowers are edible · happy in a pot · gets by on less water · takes the cold | |
| Otto Quast Lavender | Spanish | Upright | — | Purple | Devil Mountain Wholesale Nursery describes this asdraws bees and butterflies |
| Phenomenal Lavender | Lavandin | Mounding | — | Purple | Chicago Botanic Garden describes this astakes the cold |
| Provence Lavender | Lavandin | Mounding | — | Purple | NC State Extension records this asgets by on less water · deer usually leave it alone · rabbits usually leave it alone · the flowers are edible |
| Royal Velvet Lavender | English | Mounding | — | Purple | Chicago Botanic Garden describes this astakes the cold |
| Silver Frost Lavender | Angustifolia X Lanata Hybrid | Mounding | — | Purple | NC State Extension records this asgets by on less water · deer usually leave it alone · rabbits usually leave it alone · the flowers are edible |
| Super Blue Lavender | English | Mounding | — | Purple | Chicago Botanic Garden describes this astakes the cold · smaller than most |
| Sweet Romance Lavender | English | — | Purple | NC State Extension records this asgets by on less water · deer usually leave it alone · rabbits usually leave it alone · the flowers are edible | |
| Thumbelina Leigh Lavender | English | Mounding | — | Purple | Digging Dog Nursery describes this assmaller than most |
| Vera Lavender Heirloom | English | — | Purple | NC State Extension records this asgets by on less water · deer usually leave it alone · rabbits usually leave it alone · the flowers are edible | |
| Willow Vale Lavender | Spanish | Upright | — | Purple | NC State Extension records this asgets by on less water · deer usually leave it alone · rabbits usually leave it alone · the flowers are edible |
- ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center
- Missouri Botanical Garden
- NC State Extension
- University of Illinois Extension
- University of Maryland Extension
- Utah State University Extension
We compile bare facts from these university-extension and horticultural sources, never copied prose. 13 of the 19 values on this page carry a citation. The rest are marked est; hover one and it says why — either nobody publishes a figure we could point at, or a person set it and attached no source. Figures vary with climate and seed source; confirm with your local extension before you buy.
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