Lavender, Lavandula spp. , can be a little tricky to grow and finicky about its care. But this versatile herb with a strong scent is grown for more than just the perfume, soap, and fragrance industries.
Gardeners all over the world love it for its sweet-smelling, delicate flowers that grow in herb gardens, flower gardens, pots, and borders.
Some tips will help you get the best, biggest, and most lavender buds and flowers, whether you plant it for its looks and smell or to use in your home.
With its delicate purple blooms and unmistakable scent, English lavender is a beloved garden plant. But if you want to get the most out of these aromatic beauties, it helps to understand their blooming habits. Specifically, how long does English lavender bloom during the growing season?
The answer depends on factors like variety, climate, and proper care But you can maximize both the duration and bounty of your English lavender flowers by following some key tips.
Keep reading for everything you need to know about this herb’s blooming patterns and how to extend its floral display in your landscape.
English Lavender Blooming Period
English lavender (Lavandula angustifolia) typically blooms from early to mid summer. But bloom time can vary somewhat between different cultivars.
Some popular English lavender varieties and their peak blooming periods
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Hidcote – Early to mid summer, mid June to mid July.
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Munstead – Early to mid summer, June to July.
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Twickle Purple – Early summer, late May to mid June.
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Pink Perfume – Mid summer, July.
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Royal Velvet – Mid to late summer, July to August.
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SuperBlue – Mid summer, late June to late July.
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Blue Scent Early – Early summer, late May to mid June.
Bloom duration for each flower stalk is around 3-4 weeks. But the overall bloom period for most English lavenders spans about 4-6 weeks on average.
Extending English Lavender’s Flowering Season
With proper care, you can maximize both the length and abundance of your English lavender’s blooms. Here are some tips:
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Deadhead spent blooms: Removing faded flowers triggers re-blooming. Snip back each flower stalk down to the first set of leaves after the initial bloom.
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Light pruning: In addition to deadheading, lightly trim back whole plants by 1/3 after peak bloom. This neatens growth and promotes reblooming.
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Annual hard pruning: Cut back by 1/3 each year in early spring or after bloom ceases. This rejuvenates plants.
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Avoid over-fertilizing: Too much fertilizer leads to reduced flowering. Go easy on nutrients and don’t overfeed.
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Provide good drainage: Wet soil leads to root rot. Ensure the planting area drains well.
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Choose suitable varieties: Some cultivars offer longer bloom seasons than others. Opt for long-flowering types.
With optimal care, you can stretch English lavender’s bloom season into a continuous floral display lasting up to 4 months or more in some cases!
Why Isn’t My English Lavender Blooming?
If you’re having trouble getting your English lavenders to bloom, several factors could be to blame:
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Incorrect variety for your zone – Be sure to choose a cultivar suitable for your hardiness zone.
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Too young – Don’t expect much bloom until the plants are at least 2-3 years old. Be patient!
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Insufficient pruning – Deadhead flowers and prune plants at least twice yearly for maximum blooms.
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Overly woody plants – Hard prune neglected, woody plants to rejuvenate them.
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Too much fertilizer – Avoid overfeeding, which leads to fewer flowers.
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Overwatering – Prevent wet roots by ensuring good drainage.
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Incorrect pH – Test soil pH and correct if needed. Lavenders prefer slightly alkaline soil.
With the proper growing conditions and care, your English lavenders will reward you with their iconic blooms.
Tips for Growing English Lavender
Here are some additional tips to help your English lavender put on the best floral display:
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Plant in full sun and well-drained soil. Provide good air circulation.
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Space plants 18-24 inches apart for good air movement.
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Water young plants regularly until established. Then water only when soil is partly dry.
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Apply mulch around the base to retain moisture and reduce weeds.
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Prune lightly during summer to shape plants. Never shear into woody parts of stems.
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Trim off spent flower stems after initial blooming to encourage re-flowering.
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Protect plants from winter damage in cold climates.
Choosing the Best English Lavender Varieties
With over 400 different lavender cultivars to pick from, it can be tough to select the right ones for your garden.
Some top English lavender varieties to consider:
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Hidcote – Deep violet buds on compact gray-green foliage, very fragrant.
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Munstead – Profuse light purple blooms on 18″ plants, sweet aroma.
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Twickle Purple – Deeper purple flowers on 12″ mounds, nicely scented.
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SuperBlue – Long stems of violet-blue blooms, great for cutting.
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Pink Perfume – Pretty pink flower spikes, strong fragrance.
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Royal Velvet – Dark purple buds ideal for drying, very aromatic.
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Blue Scent Early – Early bloomer with masses of lavender-blue flowers.
Bring English Lavender’s Long Bloom Season to Your Garden
With their incredibly fragrant flowers and long summertime bloom display, it’s easy to see why English lavenders are garden favorites. Use the tips above to maximize their flowering potential. With the right care, you’ll enjoy these aromatic beauties from early summer through fall.
How to Maximize Lavender’s Blooms
It is very important to prune lavender plants correctly if you want to get the most flowers and harvest, and also to make the plants last longer. During the growing season, pruning and harvesting are one and the same.
- Take off all the blooms until you reach the first set of leaves, even if there are only a few on the plant. Do not cut into the woody part of the stem. This moves everything forward to a fuller second flush.
- Remember that some types of plants can take up to three years to produce a good harvest. Be patient.
- One-third to one-third of the plant’s size needs to be cut back every year. This can be done when the growing season is over and the weather has cooled down. It sends energy back to the roots. Late fall pruning is especially good for young plants with shallow root systems that haven’t fully developed yet.
- Hard pruning in spring encourages new growth. Don’t cut back until you see new growth at the base. Pruning plants in early spring helps them grow new green leaves, and it works best on mature plants.
Lavender Blooming Seasons
Most lavenders bloom during the annual summer growing season. Depending on the type, blooms can show up at any time during the season, and some plants can even bloom nonstop all season. Common types of lavender are English, Spanish, French, and Portuguese.
- English Lavender, Lavandula augustifolia: Hidcote and Munstead. are two of the most popular English cultivars. Bloom times depend on types and pruning practices. Most, though, bloom early to mid-season, starting in June or July and lasting three to four weeks. If you light prune the plant after the first bloom, you may get a full flush of flowers after the first bloom. In late summer, some English cultivars also have a second, smaller bloom.
- Spanish Lavender, Lavandula stoechas: The most beautiful flowers come from Spanish lavender, which is also called Butterfly lavender. Each stalk has two blooms that look like butterfly wings or rabbit ears. L. Stoechas flowers first in early May in warm places with mild winters. In June, there is a bigger bloom, and in August or early fall, there is a third, smaller bloom.
- French lavender, Lavandula dentata, is only hardy in zones 8 and 9. In zones below 8, it is grown as an annual. In warm places, it blooms nonstop from early summer to late fall. In its hardiness zones, it can bloom all year. This lavender doesn’t smell as good as some others, but its toothed leaves make it stand out.
- Portuguese Lavender, Lavandula latifolia, is also known as Spike lavender. It has broad, evergreen leaves that have a strong scent. In zones 6 through 8, it blooms nonstop from late spring to late summer.
Top 7 Most Popular Varieties of Lavender (+ Lavender Basics)! // Garden Answer
When does English lavender Bloom?
English lavender ( Lavandula angustifolia) usually blooms in mid-June and will produce flowers for around 4 weeks. This is the hardiest species of lavender that can grow in colder climates that experience frost in winter (hardy in USDA zone 5-9) and lives up to 15 years with the right care.
When does Lavandula flower?
Flowering typically occurs in June or July and tends to last 3-4 weeks. Most late season Lavenders belong to the Lavandula x intermedia (Lavandin) group but some cultivars of Lavandula angustifolia (English Lavender) are also prized for their midsummer blooms. Flowering typically occurs in July or August and tends to last until late summer.
How long do lavender flowers last?
For the best color: Use English lavender varieties that have deep purple blooms for drying. They will hold their color longer than their pink- or white-flowered counterparts. If using the dried flowers for cooking: Remove them from the stems and store in jars, out of direct sunlight, for up to a year.
Do lavender flowers bloom all year?
Depending on where you live, you can enjoy Lavender blooms almost all year in your garden. Why? Because not all Lavenders bloom at the same time, and some bloom continuously, producing flowers all spring and summer.