Is Lavender a tropical plant? Is there any variety of it that grows in hot and humid climates easily? Find Out!
Can lavender grow in the tropics? The answer is yes! You can grow this herb in tropical and sub-tropical parts of the world as a short-lived perennial or as an annual specimen, but you’ll need to care for it more often, especially in summer.
Lilac vs Lavender: All the Differences
How to Grow Lavender in Tropics
USDA Zones — 8-11
Difficulty — Moderate
Soil pH — Slightly alkaline
Light
Grow lavender in a pot so that you can change its location during heavy rain or when the temperature rises.
If you’re growing it on the ground, take care to plant it in a location where it’ll be saved from wind, heavy rain, and heat, not receiving full sun, especially in the afternoon as the sun in warm climates shines more intensely, and it can scorch your plant.
Planting it under a tree is a good idea.
Planting and Soil
Planting lavender in pots is really easy. Start with seeds. Sow them in early winter and place the seed tray in full sun. Seedlings will germinate in two to three weeks; transplant them in a favorable location in a well-drained potting mix using compost with bonemeal and lime both of equal amounts in half a cup.
Also, add sand if your soil is heavy and clay-rich. So how long does it take to grow lavender? You’ll have a beautiful plant in 4-5 months. But it’ll start flowering in the second year.
Transplanting and Watering
Before transplanting, make an 18” mound of soil and plant lavender in it. This is the best technique to restrict soggy and water-logged soil and improve air circulation.
Take care about watering, water only when the soil becomes dry. You don’t need to fertilize lavender, but if you want, occasionally add compost in the growing season.
Planting Season
In colder zones, Lavender should be planted in spring or summer, but in the tropics, growing conditions are different. Sun is more intense in summer, and afterward, it rains, which increases the humidity level and makes it intolerable for the plant to thrive. That is why winter is the best month to plant lavender in the tropics.
But can lavender grow indoors? Of course, it can. Place it near a south-facing window for light – the other care needs are similar. It’ll thrive.
How to Grow Lavender Plants | Lavender Plant Care
Fertilizing
Fertilizing in the tropics requires special attention due to heavy rainfall and high temperatures. You should pick a slow-release or organic fertilizer like compost or bone meal. Avoid high-nitrogen fertilizers that can hinder flowering. Dilute it to half-strength and only apply it once or twice in the growing season.
Lavender Varieties for Tropics
Lavender can grow in tropical climates if you pick the right variety. But which Lavender to plant? We recommend Spanish lavender (Lavandula stoechas) and French Lavender (Lavandula dentata) – they do well in warm climates.
You can also go with Lavandin (Lavandula x intermedia), Portuguese Lavender (Lavandula latifolia), and Egyptian Lavender (Lavandula multifida).
You need to experiment, go to your local nursery, and check if you find a lavender plant growing there – buy it, or you can order seeds online.
Everything About Growing French Lavender
Additional Tips for Tropical Lavender
- Mulching can help you out a lot. A layer of organic mulch will conserve moisture and regulate the soil temperature in warmer climates.
- Provide temporary shade when the sun is at its peak during those scorching tropical afternoons. A protective cover during heavy downpours will also benefit the lavender.
- Keep the soil moist. Give it a deep, generous soak every 2-3 days. More if you feel the soil’s drying out quickly.
I have some really healthy lavender plants here in Ecuador. We planted them in June and they are now about 24″ and very full and lush. So far, no sign of blooms. Suggestions?
It has been a while since this post, but I am going to try anyway.
I live in Nicaragua, so tropical weather it is.
I have successfully planted Spike (in June 2019), French (lavendula dentata), Vera, Munstead Rosea and an unknown variety similar to Spike but slightly more green, picked up in a street of Portland, Oregon. Seeds were planted in October ´19 and January ´20. The germination rate varied from less than 6% (55 days refrig.) to 26% (Munstead and Rosea w/o refrig). The best rate for Vera (13%) was with 45 days refrigeration, on 10,000 seeds.
On March 10th, one Spike (not even a year old) started growing a bud. At this date, April 4th, the flowers are well differentiated, 4 new buds are growing at the leaves intersects, but the flowers have not bloomed yet. I have not found any info on the blooming cycle, but the way they look, I am expected bloom around April 10th. Wish I could share pix. but I can´t find how.
very interested in knowing if they bloomed. I’m thinking about growing lavender in Dominican Republic but considering this impossible
from DR too, how was your experience
i am in DR too, could you grow it here?
Hello, thank you for sharing your experience. Since we are in 2021 could you share what the harvest was for you last season? I am planning on growing lavender in Panama.
Hi Mari
I would love to hear if you succeeded in growing lavender in Panama. Which area are you staying? Did you plant in pots? I would love to grow some myself but don’t know how and when. Any help is welcome.
Mari, we’re moving to bocas del toro in a few years and I’m researching growing lavender there also. Hope you have success
I am in Jamaica . I sowed my lavender seeds in January 2021 . i now have one seedling which I transplant about two weeks ago in a pot . in the mornings it’s sunny at the front of my house. So that where it’s kept but late afternoon it gets windy so I move it to the back porch where it’s sunny an warm .
It now has 26 leaves including 2 new shoots at each cotyledon .i am excited that it thriving so well and hoping it will continue.
Learning all I can from the internet on how to care for it .
Audrey, was it the French lavendula dentata?
Hello, I am trying to grow Lavender in Guanacaste, Costa Rica. I am in the early stages of my trial so would love to hear from anyone with experience in my area.
Thank you,
Lou
Hola Louise: We live in el Cajon de Grecia in Alajuela. I was given a lavender plant several years ago and it is doing great. In a container; out in the rainy season (now). At the base looks like it could be split but not sure about this. I have not pruned it yet. The limbs are leggy but it is blooming. When the blooms are gone I will prune it back. Not sure if I want more Lavender plants but I do have a small one that needs pruning.
If you can get to Grecia or know someone who lives here you are welcome to all the cuttings.
I also am growing US sweet potatoes so If you would like some starts they are yours.
Great hearing from you. God bless and take care
I’m in Naples, Florida, zone 10a. I planted lavender (two different varieties supposedly suited to this area) in my front yard garden in March during the dry season. They thrived and bloomed.
But now in July, all of the plants look nearly dead–no doubt because of the high humidity and tropical rains (including a drenching from Elsa).
I’m cutting them back to the ground. Do you think there’s any chance that they’ll recover when the dry season returns, or should I just replace them with something else?
Aloha from Big Island of Hawaii, I have grown several varieties of Lavender here with good success, I live on the dry side of the Island and it is hot and dry, only 7-10 inches of rain per year and warm to hot all year. I am at about 700ft elevation. My first experiment grew well but did not smell like lavender. I have now planted a variety called Provence and after only a few months it is flowering profusely and smells beautiful, I also have another variety which started very leafy and is also flowering and smells beautiful. The Provence variety has the silvery green foliage and the second variety has the green leaves. I water every day but only lightly. Garden I have lavender in is north facing and shady in the afternoon.
Encouraging, should try, weather in Fiji Islands is similar to Hawaii
hi, thanks to sharing. I from Indonesia, where the weather here is tropical, I just started planting lavender, learned how to plant from the internet and hopefully the seeds will grow and bloom amen
@nabira Sepira Bangun bagaimana hasil nya, Mbak….?!?!?! Saya di Sukabumi juga baru mulai menanam Lavender.
Hi, I’m in DR too, I’m growing Dentata Lavender, no bloom yet, also some Munstead, vera and spike. Let’ see.
The most important is prune, and keep them out the rain.
Hi Carol! How does it go with your plants? Did you start from seeds or plants? I live in Puerto Plata and you?
I’m in Darwin Australia we are hot tropics but right now “winter” _ dry season. After waiting for some years for stock to be available have just purchased an Egyptian lavender plant from our nursery it’s not so dense in it’s foliage and maybe it will survive the humidity and so will try some propagation for some extra plants will keep you informed
. Thanks for all the above posts been encouraging reading..
Hi Beth I’m in Darwin as well. Did you have any success with the lavender?