How to Successfully Grow Lavender in Northern Climates

Lavender always seemed easy to grow in my Ohio garden. Once in a while I’d lose a plant over the winter, but for the most part they gave me a bounty of spikes of deep purple flowers without much thought.

After I moved to central Montana (USDA Zone 4), I just about gave up on growing lavender—until I visited Longview Lavender Farm in Somers, a community in the Flathead Valley, on the west side of the Rockies. 

Acre upon acre of fragrant lavender plants, some several feet tall, stood out against the stunning backdrop of the Swan Mountains. I knew that Mike Sullivan, the mastermind behind this glorious farm, could offer advice on growing lavender in a harsh northern climate.

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Mike and his family raise 8,000 plants of up to a half-dozen varieties on the 5-acre farm. They welcome visitors to harvest their own lavender blossoms, attend a distillation workshop or simply enjoy the ambience. On a warm summer day, it feels more like Provence than a mountain valley in Montana. 

The rich soil in this area supports high-quality hay, grains and specialty crops like hops, dill and mint, but the erratic winter weather is problematic for Mediterranean-adapted perennials like lavender. The plants are far from the sun-kissed climate of their origin; the freeze-thaw cycle can force plants out of the ground, and biting winter winds burn exposed stems. 

Despite these challenges, Mike wanted to grow lavender on a large scale. Prior to this endeavor, he owned a cherry orchard along the nearby Flathead Lake, and he spent decades raising ornamentals such as roses, chrysanthemums and carnations on a worldwide commercial level. He knows a thing or two about plants. 

Growing lavender on a large scale intrigued him on several levels. It has long been one of the most popular herbs worldwide, prized for its fragrance and beneficial properties. The name lavender is derived from the Latin word lavare, which means “to wash.” Washerwomen during the Renaissance were known as “lavenders” because they spread clean laundry to dry on fragrant lavender bushes.

Long before it was popular in Europe, the ancient Greeks and Egyptians sang its praises. From treating headaches and upset stomachs to embalming the dead, lavender has been important for thousands of years. 

To create his lavender-filled destination farm, Mike’s first action was to enlist the help of experts at Montana State University. The prevailing view among several horticulturists was “You’re not going to be able to grow it.” 

Not one to take no for an answer, Mike launched into the same depth of research as he had for his earlier crops to determine what he really could or could not grow.

The four primary types of lavender are English (Lavandula angustifolia), Spanish (L. stoechas), French (L. dentata), and L. × intermedia, called lavandin, a hybrid of English lavender and spike lavender (L. latifolia).

Spanish and French lavender are prolific and fragrant varieties, but both prefer the milder winter conditions of Zone 8 and warmer. Because Somers is more aligned with Zone 5, these options were not viable. 

English lavender looked like a promising prospect. The species isn’t native to the cool, damp British Isles, but the Romans introduced it there and it became a hardy countryside favorite. Varieties such as ‘Munstead’ and ‘Hidcote’ have long been popular choices for colder climates because they grow well in Zones 5 through 8.

So in his first season, Mike planted 500 plants using three English lavender cultivars, including the two named above. 

“The first year we lost all but 30 percent of the plants,” he says.

He consulted the United States Lavender Growers Association and talked with growers across the northern tier of the country. He adds, “We also became founders of the Lavender Northwest,” a membership organization and resource for professionals and enthusiasts in the northwestern states. 

After trial and error based upon his research, he settled on cultivars that survived the climate (with a little help in winter) and resisted Phytophthora, a pathogen known to be the primary killer of lavender. 

Phytophthora is aptly named; it means “plant destroyer” in Greek. Although it has many characteristics of a fungus, it is an oomycete, a type of water mold that is not a true fungus. It is found in soil, where its thick-walled spores can remain dormant for years until environmental conditions are right. When it infects lavender, it causes root and crown rot and can decimate entire fields. 

While Montana is generally a dry climate, its winter precipitation can perpetuate disease—particularly when combined with moisture-holding clay soil. 

At Longview Lavender Farm, the English lavender cultivars ‘Hidcote’ and ‘SuperBlue’ have proven tolerant of the climate and resistant to disease. The lavandin varieties named ‘Grosso’, Phenomenal (‘Niko’) and ‘Super’ also thrive on the farm. Of these three, Phenomenal is the toughest, well-known for withstanding both winter cold and summer heat. 

Related: 'Silver Anouk' Spanish Lavender Stands Up to Drought in the Garden or Containers

For my area, where winter temperatures can plummet to -30 degrees (F) and the winds are simply hellacious, Mike recommended Phenomenal. But my lavender-growing space needed some help. 

In Somers, which sits in a historical floodplain, the soil is deep and rich, typically loamy to sandy loam. It drains fairly well, an absolute necessity. Nothing will kill lavender faster than wet roots.

Talking to Mike, it became clear that my soil did not make the cut. Its clay content is such that I could consider dabbling in pottery ahead of lavender. On top of that, my unamended soil is closer to 8.0 on the pH scale, more alkaline than lavender prefers. For most varieties, a pH closer to neutral or slightly alkaline is better. 

To remedy clay soil’s poor drainage, I needed to add amendments that would improve its texture—such as crushed gravel and coarse sand (not the kind used in sandboxes). These amendments could also be used along with loamy topsoil to fill a raised bed for growing lavender. The ratio should be three parts aggregate to seven parts loam.

Planting in a raised bed or mounded row also protects against the rot that can occur in winters with repeated freezing and thawing, which means soggy soil. The elevated and amended soil ensures ample drainage.

Compost or other amendments that provide nutrients should be used sparingly. Lavender doesn’t require much nitrogen (with too much, it will produce lots of leaves and few flowers), and it needs only moderate levels of phosphorus and potassium.

I planted my lavender in the stone spiral herb bed that I built in 2025. The soil is light, and the rocks hold heat in the fall and spring. They also block the lavender from the wind. The spot receives full sun, the other absolute must for lavender.

Northern growers must understand that both soil and air temperature are critical for successfully growing lavender. Mike notes that when the soil temperature cools to around 40 to 45 degrees, the plants go dormant. 

One tool for protecting the plants from erratic temperatures and biting winds is a freeze cloth. Mike tucks his lavender in by mid-October, securing the fabric in place with landscape pins. Snow is an added benefit, holding down the fabric and providing additional insulation for the plants. Mike says his plants start to emerge from dormancy in April, at which point the fabric can come off. 

For the harshest climates, it’s possible to overwinter many lavender varieties, even the more delicate French and Spanish ones, in containers, whether the plant is grown in the pot throughout the summer or transplanted from the garden at the end of the season.

Make sure the pot has ample drainage holes in the bottom, and use a large container, at least a gallon-sized for a first-year plant and upwards of a five-gallon pot for more mature plants. 

Even hardy English lavender and lavandin cultivars benefit from being placed in protected areas near the house or an outbuilding. Stacking bales of straw around the container adds an extra layer of insulation. Alternatively, bring them into an unheated garage for the season. As long as the soil remains below 40 degrees, the plant will remain dormant. Water minimally, maybe once or twice during the season, and bring the plant out into the sunshine and warmer temperatures of early April. 

It’s good to know that those of us in the northern climate can still raise lavender. It comes down to choosing the right varieties, planting them where they won’t have wet feet and protecting them during the winter. Lavender can be an integral part of the garden.

Located in Somers, Mont., Longview Lavender Farm has seasonal hours from May into September, during which visitors may shop at the on-site store, take a tour or participate in pick-your-own lavender. For full details, see longviewlavenderfarm.com.

Amy Grisak is an avid gardener and outdoorswoman based in Montana.

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