Plant guide:ð Lavender
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Fungal
Crown Rot in Lavender
Commonly affects: Lavandula angustifolia / L. x intermedia (Lavender)
The base of the plant, at soil level, turns soft, dark, and rotten, and the whole plant may collapse suddenly even though it looked healthy shortly before.
Potential Causes
- 1Fungal infection at the crown, favoured by consistently wet soil at the base of the plant
- 2Mulch or soil piled up against the stems, trapping moisture against the crown
- 3Poor drainage at the planting site allowing water to pool around the base
Solution Steps
- 1Keep mulch and soil pulled back from direct contact with the stems and crown
- 2Improve drainage at the planting site, or replant on a raised mound if drainage can't be corrected in place
- 3Remove and discard severely affected plants, since crown rot is often fatal and can persist in the soil
- 4Avoid replanting lavender in the exact same spot immediately after a crown rot loss
Prevention Tip
Keeping mulch pulled back from direct stem contact is a simple, often-overlooked step that prevents much of the crown rot lavender suffers in damp climates.
