Naturally, lavender does not grow invasive. In the garden, they propagate themselves by self-seeding and by being cut and replanted from cuttings.
You do not need to be concerned since the seeds of the lavender plant are not very aggressive and are unlikely to completely take over your garden.
Planting many cuttings of your lavender plant in the ground allows you to control how far the plant will eventually spread.
Lavender, on the other hand, does not have the ability to climb or crawl, so there is no risk of it taking over your garden.
How much does lavender spread?
The amount that lavender will spread in terms of the growth of its vegetation and its size will vary greatly depending on the variety and on whether or not it is given optimal care, primarily in terms of the amount of sunlight it receives, the conditions of the soil, and the frequency with which it is pruned.
In general, lavenders have been developed into three distinct types, which are known as dwarf lavenders, semi-dwarf lavenders, and gigantic lavenders.
Around the same height, as they are wide, lavenders always mature to about the same height. This, of course, is dependent on the level of care that the plant receives as well as the amount of room it has to expand.
In particular, the quantity of sunlight that the blooms get each summer is one of the most important factors that determines their size, health, and strength.
Additionally, trimming is required in order to prolong the life of the lavender and keep its form.
If lavenders are not trimmed on a regular basis, they will develop thin stems, produce fewer flowers, and be more susceptible to being damaged by the elements.
Lavenders need direct sunlight for at least six hours each day, but the more sunlight they get, the greater their blossoms will be.
Planting your lavenders at different distances from one another should, of course, be determined by how far each kind of lavender will spread as it grows.
It is advisable to space lavender plants about one to three feet apart for optimal growth.
It is important to provide enough space between individual lavender plants to allow for adequate air circulation (which, in turn, helps decrease the risk of fungal disease) and to ensure that the plants get enough light throughout the day without casting shadows on one another.
By giving them some distance from one another, you reduce the amount of competition between the plants for room for their root systems, access to water and nutrients, and other resources.
It is recommended that you trim your lavenders into a pile shape once in the early spring and again towards the end of summer to cut down wasted flower stems.
This should be done in order to get the greatest results. This will assist preserve an appealing form, restrict the development of weaker woody growth, and prevent lavenders from becoming distorted or spreading out of control.
Does lavender spread Easily?
In terms of their vegetative development, lavenders are able to spread, with the tallest types reaching a height of 36–40 inches.
The seeds of lavenders may be dispersed, although the germination rate is so low that it is nearly nonexistent. Lavenders can spread. By removing the seed-bearing flower heads in the late summer, you may stop lavender from spreading.
Other than the seeds that are spread from pods that grow in their wasted flower heads in the late summer, lavenders are unable to propagate themselves by division, self-propagation, or any other manner. (Despite the fact that gardeners can simply produce new plants from cuttings of existing ones)
Due to the fact that the seeds need particularly specific circumstances in order to germinate, lavenders will not spontaneously appear in your garden in the same manner that other herbs are known to do.
The quantity of growth that a particular variety of lavender achieves is dependent on a number of factors, including the quality of the care that it receives and the amount of pruning that it through each year.
Does lavender have invasive roots?
The roots of lavender plants spread, much like the roots of any other plant. However, the typical depth of the root system is only approximately 8 to 10 inches, and its dispersion may be rather wide.
This root development rate is not very significant in comparison to that of other plants present in your yard, some of which may spread rapidly owing to the pace at which they grow out.
How to prevent lavender spreading by seeds
As is the case with all plants, lavenders may expand via the development of their leaves and by the distribution of their seeds in the late summer.
Plants of the lavender species do not replicate themselves or spread by any other means. They can be physically split, although the success rate of this method is much lower compared to taking cuttings to reproduce the plant.
In the late summer, the wasted flower heads of lavenders will give way to seed pods, which will then be used by the plant to produce seeds.
In the event that you have not removed the wasted flower heads during the course of the season, you will be able to hear the seeds inside the flower head rattling.
Because all of the seeds are contained in one seed pod, it is much simpler to control the spread of lavender by simply deadheading the flowers before the seeds have had a chance to fully develop. This is a significant advantage in terms of keeping lavender under control so that it does not become invasive.
However, if you let the lavender go to seed, there is a slim chance that it will reproduce on its own.
Oregano and other herbs are infamous for producing their own seeds, but lavender seeds only very rarely germinate after the plant has fertilized itself.
Because I have never seen lavender spreading in this manner in all of my years working in commercial gardening, you do not need to be concerned about it in your own garden.
Read: Are lavender Annual or Perennial
Hey! I’m Madhuresh, a passionate content creator, and a Plant lover. I created Shiny Plant to explore and learn about new plants. The purpose is to provide simple and effective Gardening Tips. Hope you’ll find this informative.