So How Big Will Lavender Get?

"How big will lavender get?" There's no easy answer, my friend, but I am here to guide you through this lavender labyrinth.

First things first, it's crucial to get something straight - the size of your lavender plant depends greatly on two things:

1. The variety you choose to grow 
2. The love and care it gets

Lavender species are diverse and each one comes with its own distinct size and growth pattern. So when you start imagining where to plant lavender in your patch, remember to make room for the variety you're about to welcome into your green family.

And now, let’s dive right into the different lavender types and their sizes. Are you ready? Here we go!

When it comes to dwarf lavender varieties, you're in for a delightful treat! There's a whole world of options out there, each with its own special charm. Dwarf lavender plants are best for growing in pots and containers for obvious reasons and so there will be no wondering, 'How big will lavender get?' with this group. 

But wait, there's more! Let's not forget about the "Dwarf Blue" variety—a real gem in the world of dwarf lavender. With its striking blue-purple blooms and aromatic foliage, Dwarf Blue brings a burst of color and fragrance to any garden.

It thrives in sunny spots with well-drained soil, making it a versatile and low-maintenance choice for gardeners of all levels. Whether you plant it as a border, accent, or standalone feature, Dwarf Blue adds that quintessential Mediterranean charm to your outdoor oasis.

These little guys, charming and compact, are perfect for making a big visual impact without growing too tall or wide. They usually grow up to around 12 inches or 30 cm high. Just imagine these cute plants livening up your containers or smaller gardens. Can you see it? Magical!

Let me introduce you to one of my favorites, the charming Little Lottie dwarf lavender - a delightful addition to any garden with its unique characteristics and stunning beauty. This compact lavender variety is beloved for its dainty pink flowers, which set it apart from its more common purple counterparts. With its compact growth habit and aromatic grey foliage, Little Lottie adds a touch of elegance and fragrance to any landscape.

One of the standout features of Little Lottie lavender is its versatility. While it may be smaller in size compared to other lavender varieties, it packs a punch in terms of its ornamental value. This lovely plant is grown primarily for its beautiful blooms, which emerge in early summer, painting the garden with shades of soft pink. These delicate flowers not only add a pop of color but also attract pollinators like bees and butterflies, making it a beneficial addition to any garden ecosystem.

Despite its smaller stature, Little Lottie still offers all the classic benefits of other lavenders, including its soothing fragrance and drought tolerance, making it a favorite among gardeners looking to add a touch of charm and tranquility to their outdoor spaces.

It is however, toxic to cats, dogs and horses, but luckily not to humans.

Top 5 Dwarf Lavender Varieties

1. Lavandula angustifolia 'Mini Blue': This compact lavender variety reaches heights of around 10 to 12 inches and produces dense spikes of fragrant deep blue-purple flowers. It's perfect for edging, borders, and container gardening.
2. Lavandula angustifolia 'Thumbelina Leigh': Thumbelina Leigh lavender is a petite variety that grows to heights of approximately 8 to 10 inches. It features delicate two-toned lavender-dark blue flowers and is well-suited for rock gardens, pathways, and small spaces.
3. Lavandula angustifolia 'Little Lottie': Little Lottie lavender is a charming dwarf variety that reaches heights of around 10 to 12 inches. It produces masses of small, fragrant  light pink flowers and is ideal for edging, borders, and low-maintenance gardens.
4. Lavandula angustifolia 'Lavenite Petite': This lavender is a compact variety with dark purple flowers. It typically grows to heights of around 12 to 15 inches and is a wonderful choice for container gardening due to its short, dark stems and tight foliage. Again, also good or small spaces in your flower beds or can be grown in rock gardens.
5. Lavandula angustifolia 'Wee One': Wee One lavender is a petite variety that reaches heights of approximately 8 to 10 inches. It features fragrant lavender-blue flowers and compact foliage, making it an excellent choice for rock gardens, containers, pathways, and border edging. It is a real gem of a plant and must-have for any garden, large or small.

These dwarf and smaller-growing lavender varieties are perfect for adding beauty, fragrance, and charm to gardens of all sizes, from compact urban spaces to sprawling country landscapes.

Medium to Large Lavender Varieties

Next, we move to the middle ground with the medium-sized to larger varieties. People are especially fond of Lavandula x intermedia, such as 'Provence' and 'Grosso'. These varieties are the offspring of L. angustifolia and L. latifolia and boy, do they pack a punch! They grace us with elegant grey-green foliage, and bestow upon their surroundings an aromatic purple sea of flowers. What a sight! 

With this group of lavender, you really do have to check carefully for space needed to grow these and how big they will get as there is a wide variety of sizes here.

'Provence', named after the lavender paradise in France, has a particularly majestic presence. Give this one a couple of years and it's sure to yield an impressively dense lavender mountain.

But wait, there's more! Let's step into the realm of the lavender giants with the 'Grosso' variety. Known as the larger cousin in the lavender family, the Grosso reaches heights of 32 to 36 inches and spreads out an astonishing 4 feet or 1.2 m wide. And why is it so popular, you ask? Well, aside from its impactful presence in the garden, it's also cherished in the commercial sector due to its high production of essential oils.

---

Top 5 Medium to Large Varieties of Lavender

1. English Lavender (Lavandula angustifolia): This classic lavender variety known as true or common lavender is known for its compact growth habit and aromatic foliage. While there are many types within this variety, on average, it produces slender spikes of fragrant purple flowers and typically reaches heights of around 18 to 24 inches. However, there are also some, like 'Dark Supreme' that will reach 36 inches.
2. Munstead Lavender (Lavandula angustifolia 'Munstead'): Munstead lavender is a favorite among gardeners for its dense, bushy growth and vibrant purple blooms. It grows to a height of approximately 20 to 24 inches and is prized for its strong fragrance and long flowering period. Great for drying and putting into sachets and potpourris. 
3. Hidcote Superior (Lavandula angustifolia 'Hidcote Superior'): This type of Hidcote lavender, there are a few,  is renowned for its deep purple flowers and compact growth habit. It reaches heights of around 20 to 24 inches once it is established and is often used for edging, borders, small hedging and planting en mass.
4. Grosso Lavender (Lavandula x intermedia 'Grosso'): Grosso lavender is a hybrid variety that combines the robust growth of Lavandula latifolia with the fragrance of Lavandula angustifolia. It produces tall spikes of fragrant purple flowers and typically grows to heights of 32 to 36 inches.
5. Provence Lavender (Lavandula x intermedia 'Provence'): Provence lavender is prized for its long stems and abundant blooms, which are often used in culinary and crafting applications. It reaches heights of around 48 to 60 inches once established and is known for its sweet fragrance and pale purple flowers.

General Care for Lavender Plants

These medium-sized to larger growing lavender varieties are perfect for adding color, fragrance, and beauty to your garden, whether planted in borders, containers, stand-a-lone features, or even growing as a lavender hedge.

Oh, and did I mention pruning? Regular trims are just like a little spa treatment for your lavenders. It helps them maintain their shapes beautifully and encourages growth, resulting in fuller, happier plants. 

Pruning is particularly important for the dwarf varieties and they should be pruned twice a year. Give them a light pruning in the summer, and then a more severe pruning in the fall. See our section on pruning lavender for more details.

Just remember not to pander to them too much - over-watering can lead to root rot, and no one wants a dwarfed and unhappy lavender.

Well, my fellow gardening enthusiast, back to our original question then - "how big will lavender get?" We've learned that the answer is a little bit complicated, isn't it? It varies from one variety to the next and also depends on how we care for them.

Proper planning goes a long way. Next time you’re thinking about charting out your garden, remember - lavenders range from 1 to 4 feet in both height and spread. Give them room to grow, to breathe. They need air circulation, especially if you live in a humid climate. 

Each lavender plant needs its space to flourish, don't crowd them. But at the same time, don’t forget that the beauty of lavender comes from its spread and the depth of its color. So make sure they have enough room to grow tall and wide, ensuring a heady display of purple hues and scents.