When it arrives
Your 3-inch plug
It arrives actively growing. Water it the day it comes, let it rest in bright shade for 2–3 days, then harden it off for about a week before planting. Set the top of the root ball level with the soil — never deeper.
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Real dishes from our Field Notes recipes, shared by the people who made them.
Strawberry Ruffles grown by our community
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- Mature height
- 23.6 in
- Mature spread
- 31.5 in
- Bloom
- Early-May – peak Late-May
- Fragrance
- Moderate
- Deer
- Resistant
Lavender grow guide
How to grow Strawberry Ruffles
Spanish lavender (butterfly or rabbit-ear lavender) · Lavandula stoechas
Needs full sun, gritty fast-draining soil and protection from hard freezes. Showy 'rabbit-ear' bracts bloom from spring on; grow it as an annual or overwinter it indoors where winters drop below about 10-15 F.
Check my zone & planting dates
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Full sunLight
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Low waterFast drainage
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pH 6.5–8.0Soil
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Zones 8a–8bHardiness
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24″ tall32″ wide
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ResistantDeer · rabbits resistant
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Mildly toxicPets
Huckleberry saysTell me where you grow and I’ll check if Strawberry Ruffles will thrive there.
Hardy in zones 8a–8b
Plant outdoors after the last spring frost. In zones 8-9, fall planting also works.
Your year with Strawberry Ruffles
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When it arrives
Your potted plant
It arrives growing in its pot. Water on arrival and let it settle in light shade for 2–3 days. Loosen any circling roots and plant with the top of the root ball level with the soil.
When to plant
Plant outdoors after the last spring frost. In zones 8-9, fall planting also works.
How deep
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.
Spacing
18-24 in apart in the ground; one plant per 10-12 in pot.
Soil
Gritty, sandy or rocky soil; in pots a mix with 25-30% grit or perlite · pH 6.5–8.0
Fix-it tip: Wet, cold soil kills this plant faster than frost. Raise beds, add coarse grit, and use clay or unglazed pots with large holes. Lime acidic soil toward neutral per a soil test; avoid peat-heavy potting mixes.
Sun
Full sun (tolerates bright light indoors in winter).
At least 6-8 hours of direct sun outdoors. In low light it stretches and stops blooming.
Don’t give up on it
Is it alive? What spring looks like
Not dormant in winter; it stays evergreen. Plants overwintered indoors may look thin by March but leaf out quickly once back in sun. In-ground plants in zone 7-8 regrow from green stems in early spring.
Spring
Plant or move outside after the last frost. Pinch tips and trim lightly to keep it bushy.
Summer
Repeated bloom from late spring through summer. Deadhead or harvest spikes to keep new ones coming.
Fall
Light trim only. Bring pots inside before frost in cold zones.
Winter
Indoors: cool, bright, dry. Outdoors in mild zones: keep drainage sharp and protect from cold, wet spells.
Watering
First season: Water deeply at planting and when the top inch of soil is dry through the first season. In pots, check daily in heat, but never let them sit in a saucer of water.
After that: Drought tolerant in the ground once rooted. Potted plants need water when the top 1-2 in are dry; in winter indoors, water sparingly, about every 2-3 weeks.
Feeding
Lean feeder. In the ground, usually none. In pots, a half-strength balanced liquid feed monthly in spring and summer only. Excess nitrogen gives soft, leafy growth and fewer flowers.
Pruning & deadheading
Deadhead or cut spent spikes through the season to keep it blooming. After the main spring flush, trim lightly to shape. Never cut into leafless old wood; it rarely resprouts. Always leave at least 2-3 sets of green leaves on each stem.
Dividing
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.
Winter
Hardy only in about zones 7-9 (to roughly 10-15 F with dry soil). In Michigan and other zone 6 or colder areas, treat as an annual or bring it indoors before frost.
Summer heat
Thrives in heat and dry air. In humid regions it can rot or get leaf disease; grow it in pots or raised gritty beds with good air flow and wide spacing. Blooming may pause in the hottest weeks and resume when it cools.
Blackened, limp shoots after a cold night
Likely cause: Frost damage; this lavender is not hardy in cold zones
What to do: Trim damaged tips back to healthy green growth. Bring indoors or cover before nights drop below its hardiness limit.
Whole plant or one side turns gray-brown and collapses in summer
Likely 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.
Pale, stretched growth indoors in winter
Likely cause: Too little light and too much warmth
What to do: Give the sunniest window or a grow light 12-14 hr, keep it cool (45-60 F), and water sparingly.
Flowering stops in midsummer
Likely cause: Spent spikes left on, or heat stress
What to do: Cut off faded spikes and give a light trim; new flowers usually follow as nights cool.
Too wet or too dry?
Overwatering: yellow lower leaves, blackened stem bases, collapse while soil is wet (root rot). Underwatering: crisp gray tips and dropped flower spikes; soft wilting that recovers after watering.
Watch for
- Root and crown rot in wet soil or soggy pots
- Whiteflies, aphids and spider mites on plants overwintered indoors
- Botrytis gray mold in humid, still air
- Spittlebugs outdoors in spring; rinse off
Pets & wildlife
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.
In a container
Good in pots · 1 gallon+
Excellent in pots, which makes it easy to bring in for winter in cold zones. Use a clay pot and gritty mix; move up a size each spring, to 2-3 gallons for mature plants.
Indoors
Overwinter only
In zones colder than its limit, bring it in before frost to a cool (45-60 F), very bright spot or under grow lights. Water sparingly and move back out after the last frost.
Winter chill
No chill needed
Spanish lavender does not need winter chill to bloom. It flowers on new growth from spring through summer, so plants from plugs often bloom the first year.
Growing it on
3-inch plug
1-gallon pot once roots circle the plug
Garden bed or a 1 gallon pot
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Potted plant
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Garden bed or a pot at least 1 gallon
Time 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
The green-wood rule
Snip faded flower heads just above a pair of leaves through the season. Shape lightly after each flush, leaving green leaves on every stem. Never cut into old wood; the plant won't regrow from it.
When to harvest
Cut when the top 'ears' (bracts) are fully colored, for fresh bouquets and drying. Not a culinary harvest.
Cold hardiness
USDA zones 7-9, roughly 10-15 F with dry soil; less in wet winters. Tender in zone 6 and colder. Self-sows and escapes in mild climates; it has naturalized in parts of coastal California.
In the kitchen
High in camphor and fenchone, giving a harsh, medicinal flavor. Grow it for ornament and pollinators.
Essential oil
Oil is camphor- and fenchone-rich, very different from true lavender oil; not used for culinary or most aromatherapy blends.
Good companions
Pots and dry beds with rosemary, thyme, sage, santolina, gaura, sedums and other Mediterranean plants that share its love of heat and grit.
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