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.
Sumian grown by our community
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- Mature height
- 19.7 in
- Mature spread
- 59.1 in
- Bloom
- Late-May – peak Mid-July
- Fragrance
- Moderate
- Deer
- Resistant
Lavender grow guide
How to grow Sumian
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
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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 5a–9bHardiness
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20″ tall59″ 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 Sumian will thrive there.
Hardy in zones 5a–9b
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 Sumian
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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
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.
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
24-36 in apart (mature plants reach 2-3 ft wide); rows 4-5 ft apart in fields.
Soil
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.
Sun
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
Is it alive? What spring looks like
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.
Spring
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.
Summer
Blooms July-August in zone 5-6, usually 2-3 weeks after English lavender. Harvest as buds open. Water only in long dry spells.
Fall
Light tidy after bloom, done by early September in cold zones. No hard pruning or feeding late in the season.
Winter
Evergreen gray foliage that looks dull. Snow cover helps. Keep drainage sharp; don't pile mulch on the crown.
Watering
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.
Feeding
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.
Pruning & deadheading
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.
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
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.
Summer heat
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 spring
Likely 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 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.
Woody, splayed center with bare stems
Likely 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 center
Likely 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.
Too wet or too dry?
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.
Watch for
- Root and crown rot (Phytophthora and others) in wet or heavy soil
- Leaf spot and stem blight in humid summers or crowded plantings
- Spittlebugs (foamy blobs on stems in spring); rinse off with water
- Alfalfa mosaic virus: yellow mottled leaves; remove affected plants
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
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.
Indoors
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.
Winter chill
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.
Growing it on
3-inch plug
1-gallon pot once roots circle the plug
Garden bed or a 3 gallon pot
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Potted plant
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Garden bed or a pot at least 3 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
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.
When to harvest
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.
Cold hardiness
USDA zones 5-8 for most cultivars. Generally a bit less cold-tolerant than L. angustifolia; sharp drainage matters most.
In the kitchen
Limited - edible but higher in camphor, so flavor is sharper and more medicinal. Use very sparingly; English lavender is preferred for cooking.
Essential oil
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.
Good companions
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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