Skip to content
Pocket Botanist
Get the app

French lavender · Lavandula stoechas

Why is my French lavender getting so leggy?

French lavender naturally wants to be a compact, bushy mound, so long and sparse stems usually mean it is reaching for more light. Check your plant's current light exposure first to see if it is getting the full sun it craves.

Not sure it's this? Check a photo of your plant for free

leggy growth on a plant
Photo: Rosser1954, CC BY-SA 4.0

Check these first

  1. Assess the number of direct sun hours your plant gets daily.
  2. Inspect the base of the plant for woody, leafless stems.
  3. Check if the plant is leaning toward a window.

Likely causes

  1. Insufficient Sunlight

    Most likely

    How to tell: The stems stretch out and look thin with large gaps between the leaves. The plant will also lean heavily toward the nearest light source.

    What to do: Move your lavender to a spot that receives at least 6 to 8 hours of direct sunlight daily. If you are growing it indoors, a south facing window is usually the only place bright enough to keep it happy.

  2. Lack of Pruning

    Most likely

    How to tell: The plant looks woody at the base with all the new growth happening only at the very tips of long branches. This happens naturally as the plant ages if it is not shaped.

    What to do: Prune your lavender back by about one third after the main flowering flush finishes. Avoid cutting into the old, woody stems, as these rarely sprout new growth.

Leggy growth in other plants

Find out what's wrong with your french lavender

The list above covers the usual causes. Pocket Botanist looks at a photo of your actual plant and tells you the likely cause, how serious it is, and what to try first. Identification and a health check are free.

Download on the App StoreGet it on Google Play

When to worry

It is normal for lavender to develop some woody stems as it matures over several years. You should only worry if the plant is falling over or looks extremely sparse after a full season of growth.

Stopping it coming back

Keep your lavender in the brightest spot available and give it a light trim every year after it blooms to encourage dense, bushy growth.

French lavender: leggy growth? Check yours with a photo

Every plant is a little different. Take a photo of your french lavender and Pocket Botanist tells you which cause is most likely, how serious it is, and what to try first. A few checks a day are free. Save the plant and you get care reminders timed for it.

Download on the App StoreGet it on Google Play

Get the app · Or check it from a photo now, free

Questions people ask

Can I fix a leggy lavender by cutting it back to the ground?
No, you should never cut lavender back into the old, woody growth. It will likely fail to regrow and may die.
Will my leggy lavender fill back in?
It will fill in with new growth if you provide more light and prune the green tips. However, the existing woody stems will remain bare.

More problems with French lavender

Back to the French lavender guide

This article was generated with AI on from the plant’s care profile and is general information, not horticultural advice. Read about how we build these guides.