How to Prune Lavender for Fragrant Blooms That Last All Season, According to Experts

Lavender is a bushy perennial herb that fills the garden with a heady fragrance. While this herb is relatively low-maintenance, it needs to be pruned during the growing season to stay prolific. Not only does cutting back lavender encourage future growth, but it also helps maintain its shape and size. If left to grow freely, lavender will become leggy and untidy. To ensure these plants look and feel their best, we asked experts to share their tips for pruning lavender the right way.

Types of Lavender

There are a few main types of lavender, including English lavender, Spanish lavender, and French lavender. How and when you prune lavender may vary depending on the type you're growing.

English Lavender

English lavender (Lavandula angustifolia) features straight or needle-like leaves with smooth edges and grows to be about 20 to 24 inches tall, says Sally McCabe, associate director of community education for the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society.

English lavender is hardy in USDA zones 4 through 8 and can withstand negative temperatures. It is high in essential oils, making it extremely fragrant. It blooms on long spikes with tiny buds and flowers that appear in late spring and late summer.

French Lavender

French lavender (Lavandula dentata) features toothed leaves and reaches 30 to 36 inches tall. It is hardy in USDA zones 8 through 11 and won't tolerate sub-zero temperatures. "French lavender is often grown more for color than for fragrance," says McCabe, adding that it's an excellent pollinator plant. It blooms on shorter, denser stems from spring through fall.

Spanish Lavender

Spanish lavender (Lavendula stoechas) is a smaller variety, growing about 12 to 24 inches tall. "Spanish lavender is slightly hardier than French lavender, but is best suited to USDA zones 8 to 9," says McCabe, adding that it also blooms earlier than French lavender. This type has smooth leaves and is grown more for color than fragrance. Its flower spikes look like pineapples with large petals at the top.

How and When to Prune English Lavender

Prune English lavender once in spring and once in fall. "For drying or fresh use, prune when flowers form on the stem but haven’t yet opened," says McCabe. "For fresh bouquets, wait until flowers start to open." Only cut green stems, not woody.

1. Using sharp, clean pruners or shears, remove dead, diseased, or damaged stalks.
2. Gather a section of green stems in one hand and trim them back with pruners to 2 to 3 inches above where the woody stems begin. Make sure to cut above the nodes.
3. Remove the oldest woody growth to the ground.
4. As you prune, cut back the stems so the plant forms a dome shape. This ensures the best all-round new growth.
5. In fall, do a harder prune, cutting back about 1/3 of the plant.

How and When to Prune Non-English Lavender

Prune non-English lavender varieties, including Spanish and French lavender, in late spring or early summer after the first flush of flowers to promote bushiness. "Don’t prune in fall unless you are harvesting flowers for use or live in areas with very mild winters. Otherwise, just deadhead your lavender in the fall," says McCabe.

1. Using sharp, clean pruners or shears, remove dead, diseased, or damaged stalks.
2. Gather a section of green stems in one hand and trim them back with pruners to 2 to 3 inches above where the woody stems begin, removing up to 1/3 of the plant. Make sure to cut above the nodes.
3. Remove the oldest woody growth to the ground.
4. As you prune, cut back the stems so the plant forms a dome shape. This ensures the best all-round new growth.

Lavender Pruning Mistakes

Although pruning lavender is relatively straightforward, some common mistakes home gardeners may make can impede growth.

Cutting Woody Stems

Cutting woody parts of the plant is one of the biggest mistakes you can make when pruning lavender, says Damon Abdi of the Hammond Research Station at Louisiana State University's AgCenter. Pruning mostly green growth encourages future flushes of foliage and flowers. Only cut into woody stems when shaping the plant or removing dead, diseased, or damaged stems, says McCabe.

Pruning Too Late

Pruning lavender at the wrong time can also impede growth. "Do not prune past six weeks before first frost; this can prompt new growth that will be damaged by frost," says McCabe.

Pruning at the Wrong Spot

Also, be careful where you cut. "Look carefully for any nodes (growing points in the stem) where new growth can occur along the stem," says Abdi. "Make sure you do not cut below the nodes, or else new growth will be compromised." Similarly, be careful not to cut back more than 1/3 of the plant unless you are cleaning up damage.