Lavender Plant Care: Types, Uses, Indoor Growing & Harvesting Guide

Once your lavender is in the ground, the real question becomes how to keep it healthy, what to do with it, and which variety actually suits your garden. This guide covers the main types of lavender, growing it indoors, harvesting and using the flowers for tea and oil, pairing it with companion plants, and getting it through winter. For planting steps, see our companion guide, How to Plant Lavender, or visit our homepage for more plant care guides.

Types of Lavender Plants

Not all lavender is the same, and knowing the type you have (or want to grow) affects hardiness, bloom time, and best uses:

• English lavender (Lavandula angustifolia) — the hardiest and most cold-tolerant type, with the sweetest fragrance; popular varieties include Munstead and Hidcote
• French lavender (Lavandula dentata) — recognizable by its toothed, gray-green leaves; less cold-hardy, often grown as an annual or houseplant in cooler climates
• Spanish lavender (Lavandula stoechas) — known for its distinctive "rabbit ear" petals on top of each flower spike; blooms earlier than English varieties but is less hardy
• Lavandin (Lavandula x intermedia) — a hybrid between English and Portuguese lavender, including popular varieties like Grosso and Phenomenal, valued for larger flower spikes and strong fragrance, often grown commercially for oil
• Mona Lavender — technically a Plectranthus, not a true lavender, but often sold under the "lavender" name for its similar purple flower spikes and popularity as a shade-tolerant container plant

If you want the hardiest, most reliably perennial option for a cold-winter garden, English lavender varieties like Munstead or Hidcote are generally the safest choice.

How to Grow Lavender Indoors

Growing lavender as a long-term houseplant is trickier than starting seeds or cuttings indoors, since lavender's biggest indoor challenge is light — most homes simply don't provide the 6+ hours of direct, intense sun it needs. A south-facing window is the best bet, and a supplemental grow light can help in darker homes. Use a well-draining pot and cactus/succulent-style soil, water only once the soil has dried out, and expect indoor-grown lavender to bloom less vigorously than an outdoor plant in full sun. French lavender and Spanish lavender tend to adapt to container and indoor life somewhat better than English varieties.

How to Use Lavender Plant

Beyond its ornamental appeal, lavender has a long history of practical household uses:

• For scent: Dried lavender bundles or sachets are commonly placed in drawers, closets, or linen cupboards for a light, natural fragrance
• For sleep: Lavender's scent is popularly associated with relaxation, and dried sprigs or sachets are often placed near pillows, though this is a traditional and sensory use rather than a clinically proven sleep treatment
• For tea: Culinary/English lavender flowers can be steeped to make a fragrant herbal tea (see below)
• For oil: Commercially, lavender oil is typically extracted through steam distillation of the flowers, a process that requires specialized equipment beyond what's practical at home

If you're using lavender in tea or cooking, make sure it's a culinary-grade variety (English lavender is the most common choice) and that it hasn't been treated with pesticides or other garden chemicals.

How to Make Lavender Tea from the Plant

Harvest a small handful of fresh or dried English lavender flowers, steep about 1 teaspoon of flowers in a cup of hot (not boiling) water for 5–10 minutes, then strain before drinking. Because lavender's flavor is strong and slightly floral-bitter, many people prefer to blend it with a milder tea like chamomile or add a bit of honey.

How to Harvest Lavender Without Killing the Plant

The key is to cut flower stems, not deep into old woody growth. Harvest when about half the flowers on a spike have opened, using clean shears to snip stems just above a set of leaves, leaving plenty of green growth behind. Avoid cutting back into bare, leafless wood, since older lavender stems often won't resprout — this same principle applies to routine pruning, not just harvesting for tea or drying.

Lavender Companion Planting

Lavender's drought tolerance and strong scent make it a useful companion for other sun-loving, well-draining-soil perennials and herbs:

• Rosemary — shares nearly identical sun, soil, and water needs, making it one of the easiest pairings
• Sage — another Mediterranean herb with matching drought tolerance and soil preferences
• Roses — a classic ornamental pairing; lavender's scent is traditionally thought to help distract some pests from roses
• Marigolds — a popular companion believed to help deter certain garden pests when planted nearby

Avoid pairing lavender with plants that need frequent watering or rich, moisture-retentive soil, since overwatering is one of the fastest ways to stress or kill a lavender plant.

How to Plant a Lavender Hedge

For a low hedge or border, space plants more tightly than a typical specimen planting — often around 12–18 inches apart — to encourage the plants to grow together into a continuous line. English lavender varieties like Hidcote are especially popular for hedging because of their compact, tidy habit. Regular light shearing after blooming helps maintain a dense, even shape rather than individual straggly bushes.

How to Keep a Lavender Plant Alive in Winter

For hardy English varieties in the ground, winter care mostly means good drainage and light mulch around (not directly on top of) the crown to prevent excess moisture buildup. For potted or less hardy varieties like French or Spanish lavender, bringing the plant indoors or into an unheated greenhouse before frost, reducing watering, and placing it in the brightest available light will help it survive until spring.

Quick FAQ

What's the difference between English and French lavender?

English lavender is hardier, more cold-tolerant, and has the sweetest, most classic lavender fragrance, while French lavender has distinctive toothed leaves and is less cold-hardy, often grown as an annual or houseplant in cooler climates.

Can you make tea from any lavender plant?

It's best to use culinary-grade English lavender that hasn't been treated with garden chemicals; not all ornamental lavender varieties are intended for consumption.

Does lavender make a good hedge?

Yes — compact English varieties like Hidcote are popular hedge choices when spaced fairly close together and sheared regularly after blooming.

Can lavender survive indoors year-round?

It can, but it's challenging since most homes don't provide enough direct sun; a bright south-facing window or supplemental grow light gives it the best chance.

Final Thoughts

Once you've got lavender in the ground, understanding its type, how to harvest it properly, and what to plant alongside it turns a single plant into a genuinely useful part of the garden — for fragrance, tea, and pollinator support alike. Pair this with good drainage and a light hand with water, and lavender rewards very little fuss with years of return.

For more plant guides, explore plants that bring happiness and what a happy plant actually means. You can also learn more about us or get in touch with questions, or visit our homepage for more plant care guides.