As straightforward as pruning lavender may seem, it’s crucial to understand how best to do it before snipping away with secateurs.
The primary aim of pruning is to minimise woody stems, but first, identify your lavender variety and determine the appropriate pruning intensity to avoid harming the plant.
There are three main varieties of lavender each requiring a unique pruning approach to stay vibrant and aromatic during the summer months.
English lavender, known for its robust early summer flowers, is more resilient than other varieties, whereas French and Spanish lavenders need a lighter touch when pruning.
The ideal time to prune lavender plants is annually in late summer, right after the bloom period has come to an end, typically late August or early September.
How to prune lavender
The Royal Horticultural Society advises: “Remove any spent flower stalks and about 2.5cm of leaf growth. Foliage can be clipped over in spring if growth is untidy or frost damaged.”
Though tempting, the stems should never be snipped as there’s a risk they may not regenerate.
For English lavender and hybrid varieties, a gardening expert at Monrovia Nurseries suggested aiming for a “tidy, rounded mound of foliage” that will look good through the winter as well as summer.
Tufted lavender plants, including French and Spanish varieties, should be trimmed more sparingly and deadheaded consistently after flowering.
Mature plants can become straggly, woody and misshapen more quickly than young lavender, making them hard to maintain with annual pruning alone.
The RHS stated: “As they are fast growing and establish quickly, they are best replaced if you want to keep everything looking neat.”
Pruning is important for more than just maintaining the aesthetics of lavender. Cutting the ‘leggy’ growth keeps these popular shrubs looking nice while encouraging new flowers for a full, vibrant finish.
According to the Monrovia Nurseries experts, correctly pruned lavender will warrant “a prolific crop of flowers and tidy foliage comes back year after year”.
Stimulating a fresh flush of blooms also prevents the woodiness from coming back too quickly, and stops the shrub looking scraggly and sparse.
If you skip the annual pruning, it could lead to lacklustre growth, with few lilac blooms visible in the warmer months.
