How-to Guide
How to Propagate Lavender From Cuttings
The short answer
Take semi-ripe lavender cuttings in summer to early autumn, choosing this year's healthy shoots where the base is firm but the tip is still soft. Cut a 4-to-6-inch (10-15 cm) piece just below a leaf, strip the lower leaves, and insert it into a gritty, free-draining mix.
Because lavender is a Mediterranean plant that hates wet feet, drainage is everything: the RHS recommends a mix of about half free-draining compost and half sharp (gritty) sand. Cover the pot with a plastic bag or put it in a greenhouse, keep it warm and out of direct sun, and cuttings taken in summer root quickly. Plants grown from cuttings are identical to the parent.
When and how to take the cutting
Lavender roots well from semi-ripe cuttings. The RHS says these are taken from summer to mid-autumn (roughly July to September) from healthy stems grown that season, when the base of the cutting is firm while the tip is still soft. You can also take softwood cuttings in early-to-midsummer, or hardwood cuttings after flowering in late autumn.
Choose healthy material free of pests and disease, and take cuttings in the morning to avoid wilting. The basic method is to cut just below a leaf, leaving a prepared cutting about 10 to 15 cm (4 to 6 inches) long, and to strip the leaves from the lower portion.
The gritty mix and rooting
Drainage decides success with lavender. The RHS recommends a rooting mix of about 50 percent free-draining (peat-free) potting compost mixed with 50 percent sharp sand, the washed, gritty sand used in potting mixes. This keeps the cuttings moist without staying soggy, which lavender won't tolerate.
Insert the cuttings, water well, and let the pot drain. Then place it in a greenhouse, or cover the pot with a plastic bag and set it in a warm, light position out of direct sunlight. Rooting is quick for cuttings taken in summer.
Growing them on
Once cuttings have rooted, pot them up individually and grow them on before planting out. Because lavender is Mediterranean, give the young plants the conditions it needs: lots of sun and fast-draining soil, and avoid heavy, wet ground where it can suffer root rot.
Cuttings are the reliable way to reproduce a named lavender, since plants grown from cuttings are identical to the parent, whereas seed-grown plants vary. For the general method across plants, see our guide on how to take cuttings.
Sources
Reviewed 2026-07-18. We cite university Extension, government, and established horticultural sources — and never invent pesticide rates or dangerous treatments.
- Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) - How to Grow Lavender — States you can easily propagate lavender by taking softwood or semi-ripe cuttings from young plants in early-to-midsummer, or hardwood cuttings after flowering in late autumn; that plants grown from cuttings are identical to the parent; and that lavender needs lots of sun and fast-draining soil and will suffer root rot in wet or heavy soil.
- Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) - Cuttings: Semi-Ripe — States semi-ripe cuttings (suitable for lavender) are taken from summer to mid-autumn (Jul-Sep) from this season's healthy stems when the base is firm and the tip still soft; cut just below a leaf to leave a cutting 10-15 cm (4-6 in) long; use a mix of 50 percent free-draining compost and 50 percent sharp (gritty) sand; water and drain, then place in a greenhouse or cover with a plastic bag in a warm, light spot out of direct sun; and rooting is quick for summer cuttings.