How to Prune Lavender: When and How to Do It Right
A lavender plant in full bloom is one of the loveliest sights of summer: silvery leaves, purple flower spikes and a scent that instantly calms you. But without pruning, that same plant becomes woody within a few years, bare at the base and starts to fall apart.
The good news: pruning lavender isn't difficult, once you know when to do it and how far you can go. In this guide you'll learn when to prune lavender, how far to cut it back, what to do with an old, woody plant and how to take your own lavender cuttings.
Why do you need to prune lavender?
Lavender is a sub-shrub: it looks like a perennial, but its stems turn woody over time. The plant rarely regrows from that old, bare wood. If you don't prune, the lavender grows a little taller each year on ever longer woody stems, until the shrub splays open and is only green at the top.
Pruning every year keeps the plant compact and bushy, helps it flower more and lets it live longer. And the prunings are useful too: for drying, scented sachets or even herbal fire starters.
When to prune lavender
You prune lavender twice a year: once in spring and once after flowering.
Spring pruning: late March or early April
This is the most important prune. Wait until the hard frosts are over, usually late March or early April. By then you'll often see small, new green shoots at the base of the stems. If you prune too early and it freezes hard afterwards, the fresh cuts and young shoots can be damaged.
Summer pruning: straight after flowering, in August or September
Once the lavender has finished flowering, usually in August, cut away the spent flower stems and lightly shape the plant. Don't prune later than September. That gives the plant time to put on a little growth and form a nice, dense mound before winter.
Want to dry the flowers? Then cut them a little earlier, when about half the flowers on each spike are open. That's when scent and colour are at their best. Find out how to dry them in How to Dry Flowers and Keep Their Colour.
How far to cut back lavender
The golden rule: never cut into bare, brown wood. Always leave a little green foliage or a few young shoots on every stem. That's where the plant will regrow from.
In spring: cut the plant back firmly, to a few centimetres above where the bare wood begins. On a young plant that's often about half to two thirds of its length.
After flowering: remove the spent flower stems plus no more than a third of the foliage. This is mainly a shaping prune.
Not sure? Prune a little too cautiously rather than too hard. You can go slightly further each year.
How to prune lavender in 5 steps
Use sharp, clean secateurs. For a row of lavender or a low hedge, shears work well too.
Gather a bunch of stems in your hand, like a ponytail. That way you can see clearly where the green stops and the wood begins.
Cut the stems above the wood, so every stem still has some green leaves or a few buds left.
Work your way around the plant and give it a gently rounded shape. That lets light reach every part and keeps the shrub compact.
Remove any dead or broken stems completely and clear away the prunings, or keep the flowers for drying.
Pruning young lavender
Just planted new lavender? That's exactly when pruning matters. In the first spring, lightly pinch out the tips a few times. The plant will branch out and fill out from the base, so it doesn't develop long, bare stems early on.
Old, woody lavender: can it be saved?
Lavender that hasn't been pruned for years is unfortunately hard to rejuvenate. Because it rarely regrows from old wood, you can't simply cut it back hard.
If you want to try anyway, take it gradually. In spring, prune only to just above the lowest green shoots, and repeat this for a few years. If that doesn't work, take cuttings from the young tips and replace the plant. A new plant grown from your own cutting is often lovely and full again within a year or two.
Which lavender do you have? Differences by type
Not all lavender is the same, but when it comes to pruning the same rule always applies: never cut into bare wood.
English lavender (Lavandula angustifolia): the best known and hardiest type, with popular varieties such as 'Hidcote' (deep purple and compact) and 'Munstead'. Follow the pruning schedule above.
Lavandin (Lavandula x intermedia), such as 'Provence' and 'Grosso': larger, with long flower stems and a strong scent. It flowers a little later, so the summer prune often falls in late August or September.
French or Spanish lavender (Lavandula stoechas): recognisable by the little 'flags' on top of the flowers. Less hardy and often grown in pots. Remove spent flowers throughout summer and lightly shape the plant in spring.
How to take lavender cuttings
You can easily grow new plants from your own lavender. Handy for replacing an old plant, planting a lavender hedge or giving as gifts.
When: in late summer, from late July to September, using semi-ripe shoots. You can also take cuttings in spring, using young, green tips.
Cut a few non-flowering shoots of about 8 to 10 centimetres.
Strip the leaves from the lower half of each cutting.
Push the cuttings into a pot of light, airy cutting or seed compost mixed with sand or perlite.
Water lightly and place the pot somewhere bright, out of harsh sun.
Keep the compost lightly moist, but not wet. Lavender rots quickly if it's too damp.
Roots usually form after about four to six weeks. Keep the young plants somewhere bright and frost-free over their first winter and plant them out in spring.
Lavender care: the basics
Sun: lavender needs full sun, at least six hours a day.
Soil: dry and free-draining. Wet roots in winter are the most common cause of losses.
Water: once established in the ground, it hardly needs any. In a pot, only water when the compost feels dry.
Feed: barely needed. Too much feeding makes the plant floppy and less fragrant.
Winter: English lavender in the ground copes well with cold. Protect potted plants and French lavender during hard frosts.
What to do with the prunings
Don't throw your prunings away. The flowers and even the leaves still smell wonderful. A few ideas:
Dry the lavender and store it in a jar
Make a scented herb sachet for your wardrobe or drawers
Make aromatic fire starters with dried botanicals
Make lavender bath salts with lavender from the garden
Find more ideas in Lavender Recipes, Tips & Summer Inspiration
FAQs about pruning lavender
When should you prune lavender?
Twice a year: in late March or early April, once the hard frosts are over, and straight after flowering in August or September at the latest.
How far can you cut back lavender?
To a few centimetres above the point where the bare wood begins. Always leave some green leaves or young shoots on every stem, as lavender rarely regrows from bare wood.
Can you prune lavender in autumn?
Ideally not later than September. A hard prune in October or November leaves the plant vulnerable to frost and wet winters.
Can you cut lavender right back?
No, we don't recommend it. If you cut into the old wood, the plant usually won't regrow. If your lavender has become too woody, taking cuttings and replacing it is often the best solution.
Should French lavender be pruned differently?
French lavender (Lavandula stoechas) needs a lighter prune. Remove spent flowers throughout summer and lightly shape the plant in spring. The same rule applies: never cut into bare wood.
When is the best time to take lavender cuttings?
In late summer, from late July to September, using semi-ripe shoots. You can also take cuttings in spring using young, green tips.
Why is my lavender bare at the bottom?
Usually because it hasn't been pruned enough, or was pruned too late. Lavender naturally turns woody. Pruning every spring and after flowering keeps the plant compact and green for longer.
Discover more about lavender
With two prunes a year, your lavender will stay compact, healthy and full of flowers for years. Want to do more with your harvest? Read on:
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