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Lavender grow guide
Lavandin (hybrid lavender) · Lavandula × intermedia
A large, vigorous hybrid of English and spike lavender that wants full sun, fast drainage and room to spread. Long stems and big oil yields; hardy in most of the North if winter wet is avoided.
Check my zone & planting dates
Full sunLight
Low waterFast drainage
pH 6.5–8.0Soil
Zones 5a–9aHardiness
36″ tall36″ wide
ResistantDeer · rabbits resistant
Mildly toxicPets
Huckleberry saysTell me where you grow and I’ll check if Gros Bleu will thrive there.
Hardy in zones 5a–9a
Spring through early summer in zones 5-6. Fall planting only with about 2 months before hard freeze, as it needs to root in to survive winter.
Your year with Gros Bleu
When it arrives
Open the box right away and stand the tray in 1/2 in of water for 15-20 minutes, then drain. Keep in bright light or sun. Pot up into 3-4 in pots or plant out once roots hold the plug together. Harden off outdoors 7-10 days first; set the crown at soil level.
Spring through early summer in zones 5-6. Fall planting only with about 2 months before hard freeze, as it needs to root in to survive winter.
Set the crown (where stems meet roots) exactly at soil level, or slightly high on a mound, never deeper than it grew in the pot. Burying stems invites rot. Top-dress with pea gravel, not bark mulch.
24-36 in apart (mature plants reach 2-3 ft wide); rows 4-5 ft apart in fields.
Lean sandy, gravelly or loamy soil; heavy clay only if raised or mounded · pH 6.5–8.0
Fix-it tip: In clay, plant on a mound or raised bed 8-12 in high and mix in coarse grit or pea gravel, not peat or compost-heavy mixes. If pH is below 6.5, add garden lime per a soil test. Skip rich organic mulch; use gravel.
Full sun (tolerates light afternoon shade in hot southern climates).
Give at least 8 hours of sun. Less light means floppy stems and fewer flowers.
Don’t give up on it
Evergreen; foliage looks gray and tired after winter. New growth usually shows in May in zone 5-6, often a little later than English lavender. Scratch a stem: green under the bark means alive.
Wait until new growth shows (mid-late May in zone 5-6), then shape lightly, removing dead tips and keeping green leaves on every stem.
Blooms July-August in zone 5-6, usually 2-3 weeks after English lavender. Harvest as buds open. Water only in long dry spells.
Light tidy after bloom, done by early September in cold zones. No hard pruning or feeding late in the season.
Evergreen gray foliage that looks dull. Snow cover helps. Keep drainage sharp; don't pile mulch on the crown.
First season: Water deeply at planting, then about 1 gallon per plant weekly when rain is short through the first summer. Let the top inch dry between waterings.
After that: Drought tolerant from year two. Water only in long dry spells, deeply and at the base, never in the evening on the leaves. Rain is usually enough in the Great Lakes region.
Little or none. Lavender does best in lean soil. If growth is weak, give a light dose of slow-release or low-nitrogen fertilizer once in spring. Too much feeding means floppy growth, fewer flowers, and more disease.
Cut back after bloom (July-August), taking flower stems plus a few inches of foliage to shape a mound. Light spring tidy once new growth shows. Never cut into leafless old wood; it rarely resprouts. Always leave at least 2-3 sets of green leaves on each stem.
Do not divide. Lavender is a woody subshrub with one main stem base; division usually kills it. Replace old woody plants with new ones from cuttings or plugs.
Most cultivars are rated zones 5-8, some to zone 5 only with snow cover and excellent drainage. Slightly less hardy than English lavender. Avoid wet, low spots; evergreen boughs help in windy zone 5 sites.
Loves heat and sun. Humid summers (Southeast, humid Midwest) are the bigger threat: give good air flow, wide spacing and gravel mulch to keep leaves dry and avoid fungal dieback. Tolerates heat and humidity somewhat better than English lavender.
Looks gray and dead in early springLikely cause: Normal winter dormancy; leaves dull over winter and new growth starts late
What to do: Wait until mid-to-late May (zone 5-6). Scratch stems: green under bark is alive. Then trim off only truly dead tips.
Whole plant or one side turns gray-brown and collapses in summerLikely cause: Root or crown rot from wet, heavy soil, overwatering or mulch piled on the crown
What to do: Remove the plant and soil around it. Replant on a gravel-amended mound in full sun and water less.
Woody, splayed center with bare stemsLikely cause: Skipped annual pruning; stems lengthen and split under snow
What to do: Prune yearly, leaving green leaves on each stem. Very old woody plants rarely recover; replace them.
Long flower stems flop open in the centerLikely cause: Heavy bloom, too much water or fertilizer, or too little sun
What to do: Harvest stems promptly, prune into a tight mound after bloom, and keep it lean and sunny.
Overwatering: yellowing lower leaves, gray-black stem bases, sudden wilting of a whole branch or plant (root rot). Underwatering in year one: soft drooping tips that recover after a drink.
ASPCA lists lavender (L. angustifolia) as toxic to dogs, cats and horses from linalool and linalyl acetate: nausea, vomiting (not horses), appetite loss. Treat this species the same; keep essential oils away from pets.
Deer: resistant · Rabbits: resistant
Finnegan saysStill not sure what’s wrong? Ask Plant Health — describe it or add a photo.
Possible, with care · 3 gallon+
Grows too large for small pots; use at least a 3-5 gallon clay pot with gritty mix. Potted plants are less hardy; overwinter them in an unheated garage in zone 6 and colder.
Outdoor plant
A cold-hardy lavender that needs winter chill and strong sun; it declines indoors. Keep it outside year-round, or overwinter potted plants in an unheated garage or cold frame.
Best after a cold winter
Like English lavender, lavandin blooms most reliably after a cold winter. It is a sterile hybrid, so it's grown from cuttings, not seed.
Plugs from the tray
3–4 inch pots for 3–5 weeks, until roots hold the soil
Garden bed or a 3 gallon potTime to move up? Slide the plant out: if white roots wrap the outside of the soil, it’s ready for the next size.
The one rule that matters
Prune right after harvest, cutting stems plus 1/3 of the leafy growth into a rounded dome. Leave green leaves on every stem; don't cut into bare wood. Avoid hard pruning after early September in cold zones.
Bundles and crafts: cut when about half the buds are open. Dried buds and sachets: when most buds are open. Oil: at full bloom, when yield is highest. Cut in the morning after dew dries.
USDA zones 5-8 for most cultivars. Generally a bit less cold-tolerant than L. angustifolia; sharp drainage matters most.
Limited - edible but higher in camphor, so flavor is sharper and more medicinal. Use very sparingly; English lavender is preferred for cooking.
Lavandin oil: the highest-yielding lavender oil, with more camphor and 1,8-cineole than true lavender oil. Widely used in soaps, cleaners and fragrance.
Same sunny, dry, lean bed: yarrow, catmint, salvia, Russian sage, coneflower, sedum, thyme, oregano, artemisia, ornamental grasses and roses (if not overwatered).
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