Lavender is pretty popular among gardeners. Who could resist the charm and benefits of this plant? In the summer, lavender is a beautiful sight once the bright purple flowers show up. It fills the air with a scent that can lift your mood despite a bad day. When there are no flowers, lavender will delight you with their beautiful gray-green foliage. But, does lavender grow in Arizona? (Yes: But, you will be better prepped to plant it in AZ if you read this article)
Lavender is easy to grow and are very low maintenance. They make a great companion for almost any plant because they can repel pests and attract beneficial insects. If you live in Arizona and are wondering whether you can also grow lavender in your garden, consider your search done! Arizona is a perfect place to grow lavender. Keep on reading to learn more!
Quick Answer:
…does lavender grow in Arizona? Yes, it does! In fact, Arizona is a perfect place to grow lavender.
What does lavender need in order to thrive?
Lavender isn’t picky when it comes to growing conditions. They are always recommended for beginners because growing and taking care of them is fairly easy. Once it’s established, they can even thrive with just minimal attention and care from you. Lavenders grow best in USDA hardiness zones 5 to 9.
This means that lavender cannot tolerate harsh and very cold winters. The lowest temperature it can withstand is -20 degrees F. If you live in regions with severe winters, it is best to grow lavender in containers because it will be easy for you to relocate them in environments where they will thrive the most.
If you live in regions with mild winters and hot summers, enjoy the ease of growing lavender outdoors, where the plant will stay vibrant all year round.
Lavender doesn’t like summers that are wet and humid. Lavender needs a growing environment that is warm and dry. They don’t want to be planted in locations that are shaded. It likes to be planted in a location where they can receive 8 hours of direct sunlight every day. The soil must be well-drained, alkaline, and must always be kept dry. Lavender even grows in clay soil.
Wet and humid conditions will result in leaf spots and root rot. Lavender only requires watering in it’s first growing season, but once established, lavender can tolerate long periods of no water.
Does lavender grow in Arizona?
Arizona is a huge state, so the climate varies according to where you are on the map. While half of Arizona has a semiarid climate, there are regions with an arid climate and those with a humid climate.
Those living in the mountains experience much cooler summers as compared to those living near the desert. Those in the southern and western regions experience mild winters and very hot summers. Those in the northern and eastern parts situated in high elevations have an alpine climate.
Arizona falls under USDA hardiness zones 5 to 10, which means that the winter temperature can go as low as -20 degrees F. The average summer temperature is 97 degrees F, while the average winter temperature is 72 degrees F. Humidity in Arizona is pretty low, only 30% to 50%. Precipitation is also little. Phoenix, the capital of Arizona, only receives 8 inches of rain per year.
Given this climate, does lavender grow in Arizona? Yes, it does! In fact, Arizona is a perfect place to grow lavender. The state has everything lavender needs in order to thrive.
There is no dampness that lavender doesn’t like because wet winters and humid summers are not a thing in Arizona. It is dry and hot all year round in the state. This is already expected since Arizona is mostly desert and receives very little rain every year.
Lavender can get their needed 8 hours of direct sunlight in Arizona if you plant them where they are not shaded. Arizona can also provide the dry soil and warm temperatures that lavender wants.
Lavender is heat-tolerant and drought-tolerant, which makes them easy to care for. The plant will thrive despite the little precipitation that Arizona gets. Of course, these are not the only growth requirements for lavender. It needs a well-drained, alkaline soil type and regular watering in their first growing season. But all in all, lavender will thrive in Arizona.
What lavender varieties grow well in Arizona?
The growing conditions that you provide and the variety that you grow are two things that will determine your success in growing lavender. We’ve already tackled what growing conditions lavender likes and already established the fact that Arizona can provide these growing conditions. We will now move on to the specific lavender plants you can grow in Arizona.
1. English Lavender
English lavender is a herbaceous flowering perennials that can grow up to 2-3 feet tall and 2-4 feet wide. It produces vibrant purple flowers in late spring to early summer. The oil from English lavender is widely used in sleep aromatherapy. English lavenders will grow in Arizona because this variety is hardy in zones 5 to 8. You just have to provide the plant with full sun and dry soil for it to grow. English lavender is drought-tolerant and actually don’t like too much water once established.
2. Spanish Lavender
You can distinguish Spanish lavender from its other relatives with its blooms that have a rabbit-like appearance due to the upright petals at the top of the flower heads. Spanish lavender is also the most heat tolerant of the other lavender varieties. This plant is hardy in USDA zones 8a to 9b, which makes it the best lavender plant to grow in the southern part of Arizona.
3. French Lavender
French lavender is known for its toothed leaves that have an aromatic lavender-rosemary scent. It blooms nonstop from early summer to fall. French lavender may not be as fragrant as other lavender, but it features the most colorful spikes and unique foliage. You can grow French lavender in Arizona because this variety grows well in USDA hardiness zones 8 to 9.