When gardeners observe their lavender plant failing to show new growth after winter, they often wonder if the plant is dormant or dead, a confusion that stems from the inaccurate term “lavender tree.” Lavender is botanically classified as a perennial, evergreen subshrub belonging to the genus Lavandula. This means the plant develops a woody, persistent base and retains some foliage throughout the year, unlike an herbaceous perennial that dies back completely. Understanding this classification helps diagnose why the plant may be struggling to revive in the spring.
Lavender: A Woody Perennial, Not a Tree
Lavender is accurately described as a semi-woody perennial or subshrub. It maintains a permanent, rigid structure above ground that becomes progressively woody over time. The young, flexible stems produce the flowers and new leaves, while the base develops into a tough, wood-like crown. This woody structure allows the plant to survive multiple seasons, returning year after year in suitable climates.
In colder regions, lavender enters winter dormancy where growth slows significantly, and the plant often takes on a silvery-gray appearance. Unlike herbaceous perennials, the entire plant does not disappear underground, but the visible stems and foliage can look dry and lifeless. New growth in spring emerges from the persistent woody base and the lower parts of the stems that survived the winter.
Factors That Prevent Lavender From Returning
The failure of a lavender plant to return in spring is most often linked to environmental stress or improper care, rather than cold air alone. The first is poor soil drainage, which leads to root rot, a fatal fungal disease. Lavender is native to the rocky, well-drained soils of the Mediterranean and cannot tolerate “wet feet,” especially when the soil is cold and saturated. This condition suffocates the roots and invites pathogens, causing the plant to wilt and die.
The second major factor is the specific type of lavender planted versus the local climate hardiness zone. Cold-hardy varieties, such as English lavender (Lavandula angustifolia) and certain Lavandin hybrids, can survive winter temperatures down to USDA Zone 5. Conversely, more tender types like Spanish or French lavender are only reliably hardy in much warmer zones and may be killed by a typical winter in a colder region.
A third common issue is a fatal pruning error, where the gardener cuts into the old, brown, leafless wood at the plant’s base. New growth emerges from buds on the younger, leaf-bearing stems, not from the mature, woody material. If all the soft, green growth is removed, the plant cannot regenerate and will die, regardless of root health. Regular, light pruning into the green growth is necessary to prevent excessive woodiness, but cutting too far back is irreversible.
Determining If Your Plant Is Still Alive
Patience is necessary when checking for signs of life, as lavender is slow to emerge from winter dormancy. It may not show new growth until late spring, sometimes as late as May or June in very cold climates, long after other plants have sprouted. Prematurely removing a plant that is simply slow to wake up is a common mistake.
To definitively check for viability, perform the “scratch test” on a few seemingly dead stems. Use a fingernail or a small knife to gently scrape a tiny section of the bark near the base of the plant. If you see a bright green layer of tissue underneath, the stem is still alive and capable of producing new growth. If the tissue is brittle, brown, or dry, that section of the stem has died.
If the scratch test reveals life, you can encourage revival by performing a light cleanup. Prune back only the stems that are confirmed dead (brown and brittle) to just above the living green tissue. Ensure the soil surrounding the plant’s crown is draining properly and is not compacted or waterlogged. A gravel or stone mulch around the base can help keep moisture away from the crown, optimizing conditions for the plant to push out new shoots.