The answer is yes! You can grow lavender in tropical and sub-tropical part of the world as a short lived perennial or an annual herb but you’ll need to care it more often, especially in summer.

USDA Zones– 8-11 Difficulty– Moderate Soil pH– Slightly alkaline

Lavender Varieties

You need to experiment, go to your local nursery and check if you find a lavender plant growing there, buy it or you can order seeds online. French lavender (Lavandula dentata) does well in warm climate.

Planting Season

In colder zones Lavender should be planted in spring or summer but in tropics growing conditions are different. Sun is more intense in summer and afterwards it rains, which increases the humidity level and makes intolerable for the plant to thrive that is why winter is the best month to plant lavender in tropics.

Finding Right Location

Grow lavender in a pot so that you can change its location during heavy rain or when the temperature rises up. If you’re growing it on ground, take care to plant it in a location where it’ll be saved from wind, heavy rain and heat, not receiving full sun, especially in afternoon as the sun in tropics shine more intensely and it can scorch your plant. *Planting it under a tree is a good idea.

Planting and Care

If you’re growing lavender from seeds, sow seeds in early winter and place the seed tray in full sun. Seedlings will germinate in two to three weeks; transplant them in a favorable location in a well drained potting mix using compost with bonemeal and lime both of equal amount in a total of half cup. Also add sand if your soil is heavy and clay rich.

Before transplanting make 18” mound of soil and plant lavender in it. This is the best technique to restrict soggy and water logged soil and improve air circulation. Take care about watering, water only when soil becomes dry. You don’t need to fertilize lavender but if you want, occasionally add compost in the growing season.

  • Kaye
  • December 5, 2016 At 7:46 pm
  • I have some really healthy lavender plants here in Ecuador. We planted them in June and they are now about 24″ and very full and lush. So far, no sign of blooms. Suggestions?
  • Reply
  • Yves Chaix
  • April 5, 2020 At 5:42 am
  • It has been a while since this post, but I am going to try anyway.
  • I live in Nicaragua, so tropical weather it is.
  • I have successfully planted Spike (in June 2019), French (lavendula dentata), Vera, Munstead Rosea and an unknown variety similar to Spike but slightly more green, picked up in a street of Portland, Oregon. Seeds were planted in October ´19 and January ´20. The germination rate varied from less than 6% (55 days refrig.) to 26% (Munstead and Rosea w/o refrig). The best rate for Vera (13%) was with 45 days refrigeration, on 10,000 seeds.
  • On March 10th, one Spike (not even a year old) started growing a bud. At this date, April 4th, the flowers are well differentiated, 4 new buds are growing at the leaves intersects, but the flowers have not bloomed yet. I have not found any info on the blooming cycle, but the way they look, I am expected bloom around April 10th. Wish I could share pix. but I can´t find how.
  • Reply
  • etl
  • January 3, 2021 At 8:44 am
  • very interested in knowing if they bloomed. I’m thinking about growing lavender in Dominican Republic but considering this impossible
  • Reply
  • tg
  • March 15, 2021 At 8:40 am
  • from DR too, how was your experience
  • Reply
  • Mari
  • January 26, 2021 At 3:35 am
  • Hello, thank you for sharing your experience. Since we are in 2021 could you share what the harvest was for you last season? I am planning on growing lavender in Panama.
  • Reply
  • Hilde Van Schuerbeek
  • October 5, 2021 At 9:33 pm
  • Hi Mari
  • I would love to hear if you succeeded in growing lavender in Panama. Which area are you staying? Did you plant in pots? I would love to grow some myself but don’t know how and when. Any help is welcome.
  • Reply
  • Wendie
  • November 15, 2021 At 7:45 pm
  • Mari, we’re moving to bocas del toro in a few years and I’m researching growing lavender there also. Hope you have success
  • Reply
  • Audrey Hinds
  • March 25, 2021 At 9:00 am
  • I am in Jamaica . I sowed my lavender seeds in January 2021 . i now have one seedling which I transplant about two weeks ago in a pot . in the mornings it’s sunny at the front of my house. So that where it’s kept but late afternoon it gets windy so I move it to the back porch where it’s sunny an warm .
  • It now has 26 leaves including 2 new shoots at each cotyledon .i am excited that it thriving so well and hoping it will continue.
  • Learning all I can from the internet on how to care for it .
  • Reply
  • Sherron
  • April 8, 2021 At 5:46 am
  • Audrey, was it the French lavendula dentata?
  • Reply
  • Louise Gosselin
  • May 6, 2021 At 9:13 am
  • Hello, I am trying to grow Lavender in Guanacaste, Costa Rica. I am in the early stages of my trial so would love to hear from anyone with experience in my area.
  • Thank you,
  • Lou
  • Reply
  • Salli
  • August 18, 2021 At 8:39 pm
  • Hola Louise: We live in el Cajon de Grecia in Alajuela. I was given a lavender plant several years ago and it is doing great. In a container; out in the rainy season (now). At the base looks like it could be split but not sure about this. I have not pruned it yet. The limbs are leggy but it is blooming. When the blooms are gone I will prune it back. Not sure if I want more Lavender plants but I do have a small one that needs pruning.
  • If you can get to Grecia or know someone who lives here you are welcome to all the cuttings.
  • I also am growing US sweet potatoes so If you would like some starts they are yours.
  • Great hearing from you. God bless and take care
  • Reply
  • Omnivore
  • July 15, 2021 At 9:20 pm
  • I’m in Naples, Florida, zone 10a. I planted lavender (two different varieties supposedly suited to this area) in my front yard garden in March during the dry season. They thrived and bloomed.
  • But now in July, all of the plants look nearly dead–no doubt because of the high humidity and tropical rains (including a drenching from Elsa).
  • I’m cutting them back to the ground. Do you think there’s any chance that they’ll recover when the dry season returns, or should I just replace them with something else?
  • Reply
  • Peter J Spear
  • July 21, 2021 At 3:48 am
  • Aloha from Big Island of Hawaii, I have grown several varieties of Lavender here with good success, I live on the dry side of the Island and it is hot and dry, only 7-10 inches of rain per year and warm to hot all year. I am at about 700ft elevation. My first experiment grew well but did not smell like lavender. I have now planted a variety called Provence and after only a few months it is flowering profusely and smells beautiful, I also have another variety which started very leafy and is also flowering and smells beautiful. The Provence variety has the silvery green foliage and the second variety has the green leaves. I water every day but only lightly. Garden I have lavender in is north facing and shady in the afternoon.
  • Reply
  • Akanisi
  • October 26, 2021 At 8:34 am
  • Encouraging, should try, weather in Fiji Islands is similar to Hawaii
  • Reply
  • Nabila Sepira Bangun
  • August 21, 2021 At 10:40 pm
  • hi, thanks to sharing. I from Indonesia, where the weather here is tropical, I just started planting lavender, learned how to plant from the internet and hopefully the seeds will grow and bloom amen
  • Reply
  • Zissura Akadata Suraatmaja
  • December 21, 2021 At 9:18 pm
  • @nabira Sepira Bangun bagaimana hasil nya, Mbak….?!?!?! Saya di Sukabumi juga baru mulai menanam Lavender.
  • Reply
  • Carol
  • December 12, 2021 At 2:47 pm
  • Hi, I’m in DR too, I’m growing Dentata Lavender, no bloom yet, also some Munstead, vera and spike. Let’ see.
  • The most important is prune, and keep them out the rain.
  • Reply
  • Odile Horjus
  • November 28, 2022 At 6:53 pm
  • Hi Carol! How does it go with your plants? Did you start from seeds or plants? I live in Puerto Plata and you?
  • Reply
  • Beth
  • July 2, 2022 At 9:29 am
  • I’m in Darwin Australia we are hot tropics but right now “winter” _ dry season. After waiting for some years for stock to be available have just purchased an Egyptian lavender plant from our nursery it’s not so dense in it’s foliage and maybe it will survive the humidity and so will try some propagation for some extra plants will keep you informed
  • . Thanks for all the above posts been encouraging reading..
  • Reply
  • Simon
  • August 23, 2022 At 10:03 am
  • Hi Beth I’m in Darwin as well. Did you have any success with the lavender?
  • Reply

I have some really healthy lavender plants here in Ecuador. We planted them in June and they are now about 24″ and very full and lush. So far, no sign of blooms. Suggestions?

  • etl
  • January 3, 2021 At 8:44 am
  • very interested in knowing if they bloomed. I’m thinking about growing lavender in Dominican Republic but considering this impossible
  • Reply
  • tg
  • March 15, 2021 At 8:40 am
  • from DR too, how was your experience
  • Reply
  • Mari
  • January 26, 2021 At 3:35 am
  • Hello, thank you for sharing your experience. Since we are in 2021 could you share what the harvest was for you last season? I am planning on growing lavender in Panama.
  • Reply
  • Hilde Van Schuerbeek
  • October 5, 2021 At 9:33 pm
  • Hi Mari
  • I would love to hear if you succeeded in growing lavender in Panama. Which area are you staying? Did you plant in pots? I would love to grow some myself but don’t know how and when. Any help is welcome.
  • Reply
  • Wendie
  • November 15, 2021 At 7:45 pm
  • Mari, we’re moving to bocas del toro in a few years and I’m researching growing lavender there also. Hope you have success
  • Reply

It has been a while since this post, but I am going to try anyway. I live in Nicaragua, so tropical weather it is. I have successfully planted Spike (in June 2019), French (lavendula dentata), Vera, Munstead Rosea and an unknown variety similar to Spike but slightly more green, picked up in a street of Portland, Oregon. Seeds were planted in October ´19 and January ´20. The germination rate varied from less than 6% (55 days refrig.) to 26% (Munstead and Rosea w/o refrig). The best rate for Vera (13%) was with 45 days refrigeration, on 10,000 seeds. On March 10th, one Spike (not even a year old) started growing a bud. At this date, April 4th, the flowers are well differentiated, 4 new buds are growing at the leaves intersects, but the flowers have not bloomed yet. I have not found any info on the blooming cycle, but the way they look, I am expected bloom around April 10th. Wish I could share pix. but I can´t find how.

  • tg
  • March 15, 2021 At 8:40 am
  • from DR too, how was your experience
  • Reply

very interested in knowing if they bloomed. I’m thinking about growing lavender in Dominican Republic but considering this impossible

from DR too, how was your experience

  • Hilde Van Schuerbeek
  • October 5, 2021 At 9:33 pm
  • Hi Mari
  • I would love to hear if you succeeded in growing lavender in Panama. Which area are you staying? Did you plant in pots? I would love to grow some myself but don’t know how and when. Any help is welcome.
  • Reply
  • Wendie
  • November 15, 2021 At 7:45 pm
  • Mari, we’re moving to bocas del toro in a few years and I’m researching growing lavender there also. Hope you have success
  • Reply

Hello, thank you for sharing your experience. Since we are in 2021 could you share what the harvest was for you last season? I am planning on growing lavender in Panama.

Hi Mari I would love to hear if you succeeded in growing lavender in Panama. Which area are you staying? Did you plant in pots? I would love to grow some myself but don’t know how and when. Any help is welcome.

Mari, we’re moving to bocas del toro in a few years and I’m researching growing lavender there also. Hope you have success

I am in Jamaica . I sowed my lavender seeds in January 2021 . i now have one seedling which I transplant about two weeks ago in a pot . in the mornings it’s sunny at the front of my house. So that where it’s kept but late afternoon it gets windy so I move it to the back porch where it’s sunny an warm . It now has 26 leaves including 2 new shoots at each cotyledon .i am excited that it thriving so well and hoping it will continue. Learning all I can from the internet on how to care for it .

Audrey, was it the French lavendula dentata?

  • Salli
  • August 18, 2021 At 8:39 pm
  • Hola Louise: We live in el Cajon de Grecia in Alajuela. I was given a lavender plant several years ago and it is doing great. In a container; out in the rainy season (now). At the base looks like it could be split but not sure about this. I have not pruned it yet. The limbs are leggy but it is blooming. When the blooms are gone I will prune it back. Not sure if I want more Lavender plants but I do have a small one that needs pruning.
  • If you can get to Grecia or know someone who lives here you are welcome to all the cuttings.
  • I also am growing US sweet potatoes so If you would like some starts they are yours.
  • Great hearing from you. God bless and take care
  • Reply

Hello, I am trying to grow Lavender in Guanacaste, Costa Rica. I am in the early stages of my trial so would love to hear from anyone with experience in my area. Thank you, Lou

Hola Louise: We live in el Cajon de Grecia in Alajuela. I was given a lavender plant several years ago and it is doing great. In a container; out in the rainy season (now). At the base looks like it could be split but not sure about this. I have not pruned it yet. The limbs are leggy but it is blooming. When the blooms are gone I will prune it back. Not sure if I want more Lavender plants but I do have a small one that needs pruning. If you can get to Grecia or know someone who lives here you are welcome to all the cuttings. I also am growing US sweet potatoes so If you would like some starts they are yours. Great hearing from you. God bless and take care

I’m in Naples, Florida, zone 10a. I planted lavender (two different varieties supposedly suited to this area) in my front yard garden in March during the dry season. They thrived and bloomed. But now in July, all of the plants look nearly dead–no doubt because of the high humidity and tropical rains (including a drenching from Elsa). I’m cutting them back to the ground. Do you think there’s any chance that they’ll recover when the dry season returns, or should I just replace them with something else?

  • Akanisi
  • October 26, 2021 At 8:34 am
  • Encouraging, should try, weather in Fiji Islands is similar to Hawaii
  • Reply

Aloha from Big Island of Hawaii, I have grown several varieties of Lavender here with good success, I live on the dry side of the Island and it is hot and dry, only 7-10 inches of rain per year and warm to hot all year. I am at about 700ft elevation. My first experiment grew well but did not smell like lavender. I have now planted a variety called Provence and after only a few months it is flowering profusely and smells beautiful, I also have another variety which started very leafy and is also flowering and smells beautiful. The Provence variety has the silvery green foliage and the second variety has the green leaves. I water every day but only lightly. Garden I have lavender in is north facing and shady in the afternoon.

Encouraging, should try, weather in Fiji Islands is similar to Hawaii

  • Zissura Akadata Suraatmaja
  • December 21, 2021 At 9:18 pm
  • @nabira Sepira Bangun bagaimana hasil nya, Mbak….?!?!?! Saya di Sukabumi juga baru mulai menanam Lavender.
  • Reply

hi, thanks to sharing. I from Indonesia, where the weather here is tropical, I just started planting lavender, learned how to plant from the internet and hopefully the seeds will grow and bloom amen

@nabira Sepira Bangun bagaimana hasil nya, Mbak….?!?!?! Saya di Sukabumi juga baru mulai menanam Lavender.

  • Odile Horjus
  • November 28, 2022 At 6:53 pm
  • Hi Carol! How does it go with your plants? Did you start from seeds or plants? I live in Puerto Plata and you?
  • Reply

Hi, I’m in DR too, I’m growing Dentata Lavender, no bloom yet, also some Munstead, vera and spike. Let’ see. The most important is prune, and keep them out the rain.

Hi Carol! How does it go with your plants? Did you start from seeds or plants? I live in Puerto Plata and you?

  • Simon
  • August 23, 2022 At 10:03 am
  • Hi Beth I’m in Darwin as well. Did you have any success with the lavender?
  • Reply

I’m in Darwin Australia we are hot tropics but right now “winter” _ dry season. After waiting for some years for stock to be available have just purchased an Egyptian lavender plant from our nursery it’s not so dense in it’s foliage and maybe it will survive the humidity and so will try some propagation for some extra plants will keep you informed . Thanks for all the above posts been encouraging reading..

Hi Beth I’m in Darwin as well. Did you have any success with the lavender?

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