The Popular Perennial Herb You Should Never Grow In The Shade

Lavender (Lavandula spp.) is one of those plants that has it all. It's beautiful, fragrant, resilient, and has a long list of uses. No wonder gardeners love this plant and reach out for it year after year. Lavender is a Mediterranean native that can grow easily in the right conditions and rewards you with blooms that last for months and come back every season.

But with all of its charm, lavender can still puzzle even experienced gardeners. You may find yourself wondering, why does lavender thrive in one garden bed and perish in another? Why does one plant produce multiple blooms, but the other plants struggle to produce even one bloom? More often than not, the answer is right there, but sometimes we fail to notice the obvious. The reason is sunlight. Lavender is a hardy perennial plant, but it will never be at its best in shady areas.

The best spot to plant lavender is in full sun in USDA zones 5 to 9. For lavender to stay healthy and produce a lot of blooms, it needs six to eight hours of direct sunlight. You may be tempted to think that a little shade won't hurt, but lavender proves otherwise. While it does not die in shade, it will grow slower and have long and leggy stems trying to reach for sunlight. In shade, the signature lavender blooms will never fully develop, and you will not experience the color and fragrance that makes this herb a fan favorite.

There are many things you need to know before planting lavender. This perennial can live for about 10 to 15 years or more if given the right condition and location. Start by choosing a planting spot with plenty of sunlight. While it might be able to handle a little shade (especially in the afternoon in hot climates), lavender typically needs a spot with a minimum of six hours of direct sunlight — and even more is better. Other factors, like good quality soil and air circulation, are also important. Lavender prefers sandy and loamy soil with good drainage and a slightly alkaline pH between 6.5 and 7.5. If the soil is heavy and coarse, add small gravel for drainage to prevent root rot.

English lavenders (Lavandula angustifolia) are cold hardy to USDA zone 5 with winter protection. In hot and humid regions (southern areas), Spanish (Lavandula stoechas) and French (Lavandula dentata) lavenders are more tolerant but require wide spacing — about 2.5 to 3 feet apart. To make sure the plant is healthy and thriving, there are plants you should avoid planting with lavenders, including daffodils (Narcissus), violets (Viola), and camellia (Camellia japonica). These plants need different conditions to grow and can damage lavender.

If you don't have a backyard, you can also grow luscious lavender indoors as a houseplant. Choose a pot with drainage holes, and use a slightly alkaline mix for ideal growing conditions. Keep the pot in an area with direct sunlight (like near a large window) or use supplemental grow lights for 14 to 16 hours. To encourage further healthy growth, prune spent flowers and keep the plants out of reach of pets because lavender can be toxic in significant amounts.