English Lavender Seeds

English Lavender seeds produce beautiful masses of fragrant purple flowers! Also known as True Lavender, English Lavender has culinary, medicinal, and decorative uses. Pollinators love it too! This hardy plant is native to the Mediterranean and, once established, grows well in San Diego’s hot, dry summers and warm, wet winters. Small seeds require light to germinate and germinate best when exposed to warm and cool temperatures. We recommend sowing twice as many seeds as needed. Plants grow 20-30″ tall and should be pruned back following their blooming period.

Planting by Zones

Zones 9-10

• Lavender enjoys warm temperatures and is perfectly suited for the Mediterranean climates of Zones 9 and 10.

Zones 2-8

• Start in the spring after the threat of frost is gone.

Lavender Seed Germination

• Lavender seeds can be moderately difficult to germinate. They require a warm period followed by a cool period for the best germination rates and even sprouting. To accomplish this, you can start the seeds on a heating mat during the warmth of fall and transfer them into a cool greenhouse or cold frame after about 14-21 days on the heating mat. Alternatively, expose seeds to the cold by placing them in the refrigerator for about a week.

Germination Steps:

1. Place English Lavender seeds on top of well-moistened potting mix or seed starting soil. Do not cover with soil as they require some light for germination. Mist gently to water the seeds. Do not water with a heavy spray as this will cover the seeds with displaced soil.
2. Place the seeded pots on top of a heating pad for about 2-3 weeks.
3. Move pots to a cool area to continue to germinate and grow.

Planting Lavender

• Transplant out when root systems are healthy and the threat of frost is gone. 
• Direct sowing lavender seeds is not recommended.

Growing Lavender

• Lavender grows best in warm temperatures. It prefers full sun and well-draining soil. 

Growing Lavender in Containers

• Lavender is a great container crop. Make sure your container is at least 20″ deep. Keep in mind containers will dry out faster because they have more surface area and less soil to hold onto moisture. Mulch heavily on the top layer of soil in the pot to keep the soil from drying out or heating up too much.
• Prune as needed to remove faded flowers and control the height of the plant. 

Harvesting Lavender

• Harvest flowers as soon they begin to open for the highest oil content. Lavender flowers can be used fresh or dried. For dried flowers, remove leaves and hang them in a well-ventilated space out of direct sunlight.

Southern California Pro-tips

• In areas of Zones 9 and 10, lavender can grow year-round. Prune back in the spring.
• Mulch heavily around your plants to ensure the soil does not dry out or heat up too much.

Companion Flowers/Crops

• Lavender is a great companion flower for your veggie garden. Transplant lavender into your spring and summer garden. 
• You can grow lavender in your herb garden with other edible flowering herbs such as anise hyssop, borage, and calendula. Shop all crops with edible flowers here!

Additional Learning Resources

• New to starting crops from seeds? Please watch our Seed Starting Presentation to learn the basics!
• Learn about growing all our crops on our YouTube page!
• Having pest issues? Check out in-depth information for pests that can be an issue to garden crops at the UC Integrated Pest Management site.

English Lavender seeds produce an edible flower in the mint family of plants. We love using edible flowers from the garden to add color and flavor to our kitchen creations. Learn more about Edible Flowers to Enjoy From Your Garden in our Garden Wisdom Blog.