Does Lavender Spread? Everything You Need to Know

For creating fragrant decorative hedges, plants, and borders around the garden, lavenders are excellent perennial sub-shrubs. But does lavender spread?

The largest varieties of lavender can grow to a height of 36–40 inches (90–100 cm), indicating that they can spread vegetatively. Lavenders can spread through seed dispersal, but germination rates are extremely low and essentially nonexistent.

Lavender comes in a variety of sizes, and how well they are maintained and pruned each year affects how much they grow.

Continue reading to find out how quickly and widely lavenders spread, as well as how to stop seeds from doing so.

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Does Lavender Spread?

Considering that lavender is a non-invasive plant, it won’t spread unchecked over a sizable area by itself. For this to occur, it grows far too slowly. A variety of methods can be used to spread lavender plants, though.

Lavender spreads primarily through the production of seeds, which it does at the end of its blooming season in large quantities.

As long as you pay attention to them to promote germination, you can collect these seeds and grow them yourself.

Lavender can also spread via its roots, which, if neglected, will eventually send up new growth above ground.

These shoots can continue to develop into full-fledged plants themselves because lavender has a deep, spreading root system that can do so as long as it is not disturbed by digging activities.

Although lavender does not spread readily on its own, it is relatively simple to propagate if you want to grow plants in various locations throughout your garden.

Also Read: Is Lavender Perennial Or Annual?

How Much Do Lavenders Spread?

Depending on the variety and whether it is being given the best care possible, particularly in terms of sunlight, soil quality, and routine pruning, a lavender plant’s ability to spread in terms of vegetation growth and size will vary significantly.

Generally speaking, lavenders have been cultivated into three different categories, dwarf, semi dwarf and giant lavenders…

Type of Lavender	*Popular Varieties*	*How far Lavenders Spread*
Dwarf Lavenders	‘L. Munstead, Hidcote Superior, and L. stoechas’ etc.	Dwarf varieties will grow to 16 inches x 18 inches (40 cm x 45 cm) and rarely exceed 24 inches in height and width when fully grown. These small lavender plants thrive both indoors as house plants and outdoors as decorative boarders.
Semi Dwarf Lavenders	‘Pink perfume, Loddon Blue, Hidcote, and so forth.	Semi dwarf or medium tend to spread to 20-24 in (50-60 cm) in height and width at full maturity.
Giant Lavenders	‘”Hidcote Giant,” “Alba,” “Mailette,” etc.	Giant lavenders can grow as large as 36-40 inches (90 – 100 cm) in height and width at the height of summer, if they are planted in optimal growing conditions. Commercial growers of lavender frequently grow giant varieties.

All Lavenders grow to roughly the to the same height as their width. Naturally, this depends on how well the plant is taken care of and how much room it has to grow.

Each summer, the size, health, and strength of the blooms are greatly influenced by the amount of sunlight, and pruning is necessary to prolong the life of the lavender and maintain shape.

How Fast Does Lavender Spread?

Lavender has a slow rate of spread. Although different lavender varieties grow at various rates, on average a lavender plant will reach a height and width of about 20 inches over the course of its lifetime.

Depending on the growing circumstances, this can change. When given six hours of direct sunlight each day, all lavender varieties thrive.

You don’t have to worry too much about lavender encroaching on your garden because its seed germination is slow, making it a non-invasive plant.

The great thing about lavender is that, with a little assistance, it can grow quickly and won’t likely invade your space.

How to Avoid Lavenders Spreading by Seed?

Lavender spread is excellent when you intend to widen the ground it covers or that you intend to plant lavenders in a vast area. When you only intend to contain it in a small space, this spreading, however, becomes a problem.

The Gardener Report suggests cutting off and pruning the tops of your lavender plant after it has flowered to reduce the spreading. Your plant will eventually recover after trimming off and pruning, provided it is still cared for, because lavender plants are drawn to sunlight.

Takeaways: Does Lavendar Spread?

The majority of lavender-related topics have been covered in this article. In summary, lavenders only spread by vegetation growth or by seed dispersal.

You can enjoy your lavender for years to come with proper planting and care!