Overwintering Lavender in Canada
More lavender dies of wet, cold roots than of cold alone. How to get a plant through a Canadian winter, and how to tell in spring whether it made it.
Overwintering lavender in Canada starts before the first frost, with where and what you planted. The Royal Horticultural Society says lavender will not survive long in shady, damp or extremely cold conditions, and the University of Minnesota Extension says that in Minnesota it is best grown in containers or given winter protection.
The cold is only half of it. A hardy English lavender in sharp drainage handles a hard winter far better than the same plant in heavy, wet clay.
Overwintering lavender at a glance: plant a hardy English lavender suited to your zone; give it sharp drainage; leave the stems standing in fall; once the ground freezes, lay evergreen boughs loosely over it, not wet leaves or heavy mulch; in spring, wait for green at the base before pruning.
Start with the Right Lavender
English lavender (Lavandula angustifolia) and its hybrids are the hardiest types, the RHS says, while the others are less hardy and best kept frost-free over winter. Our growing lavender in Canada guide lists the varieties and the zones they suit: the hardiest English types such as Munstead and Hidcote for zones 4–5, and lavandins such as Grosso only in milder zones.
| Your zone | What to expect | Plan |
|---|---|---|
| 6 and up | Hardy English lavender usually overwinters | Good drainage, leave stems on |
| 5 | Hardy English types usually make it | Drainage, evergreen boughs after freeze-up |
| 4 | Only the hardiest types, in the best spots | Sheltered, sunny, sharply drained site plus cover |
| 3 and colder | Unreliable in the ground | Grow in a pot and store it, see lavender in containers |
Not sure of your zone? Look it up on the zone finder.
Drainage Is the Real Winter Protection
The RHS warns that on heavy clay lavender can suffer root rots, and recommends a raised bed or container if you have those conditions. It suggests planting on a 20–30 cm mound, ridge or raised bed where the roots will not sit in wet soil, and mixing in coarse grit, up to about a quarter by volume.
In a Canadian winter, the dangerous times are fall rains, midwinter thaws and spring melt, when water pools around a crown that cannot use it. Plant high, keep mulch and leaves off the crown, and put lavender where meltwater runs away, not where it collects.
Fall: Leave It Alone
- Do not prune in fall. The woody stems and leaves help protect the crown. See how to prune lavender for spring and summer cuts.
- Stop feeding and cut back on watering as the season ends. Established lavender is drought-tolerant and does not want wet soil going into winter.
- Clear fallen leaves from around the base, so they do not mat down into a wet layer on the crown.
Cover After the Ground Freezes
In zones 4 and 5, once the soil has frozen, lay evergreen boughs loosely over the plants. They catch snow, break the wind and soften freeze-thaw swings without holding water against the crown. Old Christmas-tree branches work well.
Avoid piling wet leaves or a heavy, water-holding mulch on the crown. General advice for hardy perennial herbs often recommends a thick organic mulch, but lavender is the exception that rots under one. If you use mulch at all, keep it to a coarse, dry, fast-draining layer around the plant, not on top of it.
The Spring Check
Lavender often looks grey and dead in March. Do not dig it up yet. Wait until other shrubs are leafing out and look for green buds along the lower stems. Scratch a stem lightly with a thumbnail: green underneath means it is alive.
- Green at the base, brown tips: winter burn. Prune back to green growth and it will fill in.
- Green on some stems only: cut out the dead stems; the plant may look lopsided for a season.
- No green anywhere by late spring: it did not survive. Replace it, and look hard at the drainage of that spot first.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does lavender survive winter in Canada?
Hardy English lavender usually does in zones 5 and up, and the hardiest varieties can survive in zone 4 in a sunny, sheltered, well-drained spot. In zone 3 and colder, grow it in a pot and store it over winter.
Should I cover lavender in winter?
In zones 4 and 5, lay evergreen boughs loosely over it after the ground freezes. Avoid wet leaves or heavy mulch on the crown, which hold water and can rot it.
Should I cut back lavender before winter?
No. Leave the stems standing over winter and prune in spring once new green growth appears at the base.
What kills lavender in winter?
Cold, wet soil around the roots and crown is a bigger threat than cold alone. Sharp drainage, a raised spot and no wet mulch on the crown give it the best chance.
How do I know if my lavender is dead after winter?
Wait until late spring and look for green buds on the lower stems, or scratch a stem to see if it is green underneath. If nothing is green by then, it did not survive.
Can I bring lavender indoors for winter?
You can store a potted lavender in a cool, bright, sheltered place such as an unheated garage or porch. A warm, dim living room is hard on it.