- What color is lavender?
Lavender comes in a wide array of colors, not just the gentle purple that its name refers to. You can find lavender in whites, yellows, and even pinks in some varieties. However, all lavender tends to smell the same, regardless of its color. ‘White Grosso’, is a lavender variety that blooms in white flowers, yet still smells like the traditional purple lavender types.
- Can lavender grow in the shade?
Lavender does best in either full or partial sun. It requires at least 6 hours of direct sunlight a day but will thrive even more when exposed to 8 or 10 hours of sun during the growing season. Some kinds of lavender, like French Lavender, are more shade tolerant than other varieties. However, most lavender prefers sufficient sunlight and will suffer poor growth if not able to access enough.
- What climate is best for lavender?
Lavender originates from a Mediterranean climate, and therefore prefers mild temperatures and dry conditions. Lavender is especially susceptible to overwatering and prefers sandy soil which will allow the water to be drawn away, keeping the roots from being saturated. Lavender is incredibly drought-tolerant, and can survive in places with incredibly arid, dry conditions.
- Where should I not plant lavender?
Lavender needs its roots to remain dry in order to stay healthy. This means that it may be a poor choice to plant lavender in a very humid area, or in a place that may be subject to a lot of drainage. Oftentimes, lavender is planted somewhere high up so that water and precipitation is encouraged to flow away from the root zones of the lavender plants.
- How difficult is growing lavender?
Lavender isn’t as hard to grow as some plants. It is generally disease resistant and its affinity for dry conditions discourage the growth of dangerous fungi and pests. Some cultivars are more drought-resistant than others and can handle the mistakes that may be made while determining the correct amount and frequency of water application. Since lavender is so sensitive to high levels of moisture, it may be more susceptible to root rot than other plants may be. Keep this in mind when determining your ability to control and monitor moisture.
- Does lavender tolerate high humidity?
Lavender is native to mild, arid climates, like in the Mediterranean. Lavender is very sensitive to high levels of moisture and can struggle deeply with disease or root rot when in a place where the humidity is too high. If you’re wanting to grow lavender in a humid climate, ensure that you’re providing the proper amount of draining to reduce the overall moisture in and around the plants. Additionally, choose cultivars that are more resistant to moisture than others. Humidity-tolerant lavender varieties include most French and Spanish cultivars.
- Is lavender vulnerable to diseases and pests?
In most cases, lavender is especially resistant to both diseases and pests alike. Their fragrant nature repels most pests, and the low levels of humidity included in their growth discourages most diseases from taking hold. However, shab, or Pholopsis Lavendulae, is a fungus that specifically attacks and survives off lavender plants. This is most found in large-scale, long-term productions of lavender plants, and can take months or even years to start showing symptoms once a plant is infected. To help treat shab, infected stems and roots should be removed with sterilized clippers.
- Does lavender need lots of fertilizer?
Lavender is accustomed to sandy, arid soil with low nutritional value. Therefore, lavender rarely needs fertilizer in order to fully thrive. In fact, an excess of nutrients can discourage the growth of actual flowers. Instead, if you’re determined to add some fertilizer, choose a variety with low levels of nitrogen and add sparingly, only at the beginning of spring. Fertilizer added at any other point during the year may encourage sensitive new growth during a time that the climate is too harsh for it to survive. In general, a healthy addition of compost at the beginning of spring is all your lavender plants will need in order to thrive.
- Is it better to grow lavender from seeds or cuttings?
Lavender is often grown from cuttings in order to ensure that they have the same desirable traits as their parent plants. Cuttings are much easier to grow than lavender seeds and are more reliable when it comes to what traits the plant will and will not present. Lavender cuttings quickly develop roots and propagate with a much higher rate of success than lavender seeds.
- Will deer eat my lavender?
Deer and rabbits are especially repelled by strong scents. The aromatic quality of lavender not only prevents mosquitos or other pests from taking hold but will also discourage deer and rabbits from taking a bite. Lavender’s scent is caused by a chemical within the plant called Linalool. This scent has been shown to cause relaxation and reduce anxiety in humans but identifies itself as a potentially harmful plant to common herbivores, such as deer. If your yard tends to get a lot of four-legged visitors, choose a particularly fragrant variety in order to protect your lavender plants.
