A team of MU Extension Field Specialists received a Missouri Department of Agriculture Specialty Crops Block grant in January 2021 to fund a lavender research project at three sites in Missouri: Kirksville, Springfield, and Ste. Genevieve. The purpose of the project is to learn which cultivars of lavender are best suited for each site based on flower production, winter hardiness, drought hardiness, and overall vigor of the plant and provide this information to producers and home gardeners.
The project started in Kirksville in May of 2021. Over 120 lavender plants, 13 cultivars, were planted in seven raised rows with drip irrigation laid down the length of each row to provide water to plants during dry periods throughout the summer. Data was collected every two weeks from the first week of June 2021 through the end of October 2021. Data collected included height and width of the plants, vigor, and in bloom/not in bloom.
Based on data collected in 2021, the cultivars Super, Phenomenal, Grosso, Melissa and Provence performed the best. Plants were covered in late December 2021 with a row cover for winter protection. Garden staples were used to keep the covers in place.
The covers were removed on March 29, and pruning was done in April to remove dead growth and shape the plants. The plants started blooming in late May, and the first flower harvest of the year took place in June.
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