How to grow Lavender?
- Latin Family: Lamiaceae
- Latin Genus: Lavandula
- Ease of Growing: Moderate
- Growing Type: Perennial
An evergreen shrub, Lavender is known for its abundance of aromatic flowers and foliage that can be used for cooking, making oils or extracts, or strictly for ornamental purposes. It also adds a nice touch to potpourris and bouquets. Lavender flowers can be blue hued from violet to lilac. The flowers are borne on long narrow stems and will attract an array of beneficial insects.
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Lavender History
Lavender is native to the Mediterranean. In Latin the word Lavanda means to be washed. Lavender has been used since ancient times as an antiseptic and the oil is also used as a calmative.
Soil Preference
- PH (min/max): 5.8 - 8.3
- PH Ideal (min/max): 6.5 - 7.0
Any light, well-drained soil should be good. If your soil isn't well-drained you could grow it on mounds and add lots of organic matter (or even sand).
How to care for Lavender?
Lavender is a pretty independent plant when growing in the right conditions. It prefers a warm location and should be protected from strong winds.
Water
The young plants need watering regularly until they are well established. Older plants are very drought tolerant and don't need a lot of watering. Watering Lavender overhead can cause problems, so it wise to use drip irrigation.
Fertilizer
Lavender will do well in average soil.
Seeds
Seed Viability:
Most Lavender varieties are propagated vegetatively from hardwood or softwood cuttings, rather than being grown from seed.
Light
Sun: min. 6 hours daily
Lavender needs full sun for best growth, but will still thrive in cloudy conditions.
Conditions:Cool, Warm, Hot
Season:Short Season, Long Season
Storage
Cut tall spikes of flowers. Hand upside down in a dry, dark place. Lavender retains its aroma for a long time when dried.
Storage Req: Drying
Storage Temp: °F
Storage Length: days
Problems
Root rot
Make sure that the soil has excellent drainage, as the roots will rot in soggy moist conditions. Humidity can lead to disease problems so also make sure it has good air circulation.
Lavender Types
- Spanish
- English
- Fernleaf
Spanish Lavender's silvery-gray, drought tolerant foliage is crowned with plump oblong purple flower bracts with a top knot of lavender petals, reminiscent of bright butterflies. This type is especially drought and heat tolerant but is also suitable for milder-climate gardens and containers.
This is the tallest type of Lavender (Lavandula angustifolia) and can be distinguished by its smooth leaves and delicate sweet odor. It is commonly grown commercially for the production of perfume and is widely used as an ornamental by landscapers and gardeners alike. English lavender does better in cooler conditions than other types.
Fernleaf looks distinctively different than other garden lavenders. It has deeply lobed fern-like, silvery leaves that give the foliage a handsome lacy appearance and long stems topped with graceful blue-violet trident-form flowers. Easily grown from seed, this first year flowering perennial has a bushy habit and blooms all summer long. Fernleaf foliage is highly aromatic with a hint of Oregano and highly attractive to butterflies.
Pests
- Caterpillars
Diseases
- Septoria Leaf Spot
- Mosaic Virus (Several species)
- Root Rot
