Generally — Most Areas
French lavender (zones 8-9) suits most of Alabama (7b-9b) — zones 8-9 are in range, and the rest of the state is the exception.
French Lavender in Alabama — the short answer
French Lavender in Alabama: hardy in zones 8–9, full sun, against a state median of ~266 frost-free days.
- Plant zones
- 8-9
- Manual horticultural correction (source not retained); NC State Extension and Missouri Botanical Garden, with the remaining rows from other published sources or Growable Ground compilation
- Alabama zones
- 7b-9b
- USDA PHZM 2023
- Frost window
- Feb 24 - Mar 16 – Nov 15 - Nov 28
- NOAA RCC ACIS 1991-2020, 28°F
- Shortest county season
- 225 days
- NOAA Regional Climate Centers ACIS, 1991-2020, county 28°F killing freeze
- Days to maturity
- 90 days
- Growable Ground Plant Database
Plant data: Growable Ground Plant Database, compiled from FAO ECOCROP, USDA PLANTS and university Extension sources — per-field provenance varies and is published with the dataset.
Your yard isn't the whole zone.
Alabama spans zones 7b-9b, but your yard sits in exactly one — and slope, tree cover, and cold-air pockets nudge it further. Enter your address and we'll score french lavender against your parcel's actual hardiness, soil, and sun.
We read public map data for this spot — soil, climate, flood, and parcel records. How we handle your address.
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Alabama is not one climate
Alabama’s winter-low ladder runs across 67 counties, from zone 7.5 in Jackson County to zone 9 in Mobile County. That is 15°F between the two counties’ average coldest night — the difference between french lavender overwintering in the ground and coming under cover.
The middle half of 67 counties runs 8–8.5 zones, with a median of 8.5 zones — a 1.5-zone span end to end.
Measured across 67 Alabama counties. USDA PHZM 2023, per county. Quartiles are order statistics — every figure shown is a value a real county recorded, not an interpolation. Your own site sits somewhere inside this range; a parcel report resolves where.
Where in Alabama Fits Best
French Lavender is rated for zones 8–9 — a cold floor USDA puts at 10 to 20°F. Against Alabama’s 67 counties that band holds in 63 of them, and the line runs at Bibb County (zone 8a), the coldest county still inside it.
Inside zones 8–9
63 counties
- Blount County · zone 8a
- Calhoun County · zone 8a
- Chambers County · zone 8a
3 of 63 shown
Below the zone 8 floor
4 counties
- Jackson County · zone 7b
- Lauderdale County · zone 7b
- Marion County · zone 7b
3 of 4 shown
Winter cold is the limit here — the same plant works in a container that comes under cover.
County hardiness zones: USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map (PHZM) 2023, per county. A zone is a 10°F band of average annual extreme minimum temperature, so the floor above is the band the plant's rating denotes, not a single measured kill point. Slope, shelter and cold-air drainage routinely move a site half a zone either way from its county figure — which is the part only your address resolves.
Even within Alabama's zones 7b-9b, county microclimates differ enough to change what thrives. These counties carry the closest zone match for french lavender (USDA PHZM 2023):
Zone Comparison
French Lavender Needs
- USDA Zones: 8-9
- Frost-Free Days: 180+
- Sun: Full Sun
- Mature size: 2 ft tall
- Picking window: ~30 days of harvest
- Drought tolerance: High
Alabama Has
- USDA Zones: 7b-9b
- Last Hard Freeze (28°F): Feb 24 - Mar 16
- First Hard Freeze (28°F): Nov 15 - Nov 28
- Annual Rainfall: 50-65 inches
- Common Soils: Red clay, Sandy loam, Alluvial
Plant Zone Range (zones 8-9)
Preferred Soil pH
Plant data: Growable Ground Plant Database, compiled from FAO ECOCROP, USDA PLANTS, and university Extension sources — per-field provenance varies and is published with the dataset. State data: USDA ARS PHZM 2023, NOAA Climate Normals, NRCS SSURGO.
When to Plant French Lavender in Alabama
The frost window
Across Alabama, the last spring hard freeze (28°F) clears between Feb 24 and Mar 16, and the first fall hard freeze lands between Nov 15 and Nov 28 (NOAA Regional Climate Centers ACIS, 1991-2020). Counting from the latest last freeze to the earliest first freeze, that's a 244-day window you can count on — up to 277 days on a mild site in a kind year. That marks the hard freeze, not the last light frost, so tender transplants usually wait another 2-3 weeks.
When to start the seed
Those dates are when french lavender goes out, not when it starts. It is sown under cover about 10 weeks ahead, so counting back from Alabama's late-side last freeze of Mar 16 is what fixes your sowing date — and a yard that clears frost earlier than the state's late date starts earlier still.
Winter standing
French Lavender overwinters from USDA zone 8 and warmer (NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox; Missouri Botanical Garden Plant Finder), and Alabama runs as cold as zone 7, so it does not survive winter in the ground here. It is a woody plant rather than a crop you resow each spring, so neither a fall establishment date nor a harvest countdown describes it in Alabama — which is why this page gives neither. What it needs here is a way through winter, not a planting date.
Timing tuned to sub-state frost dates — Marion County, not the statewide average.
Frost window: NOAA Climate Normals 1991-2020. Plant timing fields: Growable Ground Plant Database — frost-free days from FAO ECOCROP, days to harvest from university Extension production guides, and growing-degree-day and chill-hour minimums that are compilation estimates rather than published figures. Your site's own frost dates can run earlier or later than the state range — a parcel report pins them down.
Growing Season Fit
The zone check says french lavender survives winter in part of Alabama, not across all of it. Whether the season is long enough — and warm enough — is a different question.
Frost-free days
French Lavender wants 180+ frost-free days; a typical Alabama site sees ~266 (NOAA Regional Climate Centers ACIS, 1991-2020). That leaves comfortable headroom for succession planting.
Growing degree days
French Lavender needs ~1200 GDD (base 50°F) to ripen. The state median runs ~5383 GDD (from PRISM 1991-2020 climate normals), so Alabama's typical season clears that easily.
GDD and chill-hour figures are computed from PRISM 1991-2020 monthly climate normals; frost-free days from NOAA Regional Climate Centers ACIS, 1991-2020. Each is the state median across its counties (P25/P75 span the within-state spread). Hardiness-zone range is USDA PHZM 2023.
Soil + Drainage Fit
French Lavender likes near-neutral soil (pH 5.8-8.3). That's the common-ground band across Alabama's red clay and sandy loam — a soil test confirms it for your site. It will grow across that whole span, but it does best between pH 6.5 and 7.5 — worth knowing before you decide whether a Alabama soil test result is a problem or just a number. Drainage matters: this plant wants well (dry spells), excessive (dry/moderately dry). If your Alabama site is heavier clay or sits in a low spot, raised beds or amendment with compost solve it.
Your land, not the state average
SSURGO maps about 14.1% of Alabama as poorly or somewhat-poorly drained, and the class flips parcel to parcel. French Lavender tolerates drought well, so wet feet — not dry spells — is its real risk here — your soil map unit, not the state average, is the real answer.
Check your parcel → Source: USDA NRCS SSURGO.
Plant pH requirements: FAO ECOCROP and USDA PLANTS, with the remaining rows from other published sources or Growable Ground compilation. Drainage: FAO ECOCROP, with the remaining rows from other published sources or Growable Ground compilation. Alabama soil profile from USDA NRCS SSURGO. Site-specific verification: a 30-minute soil test from your local Extension lab.
Before you plant french lavender for food
Anything you grow to eat takes up what is in the ground it grows in, so what is on record near you is worth knowing before french lavender goes in. What follows is Alabama’s documented federal record at state scale — a screening signal, not a soil test, and not a statement about any one lot.
Safe to Grow Here?
What the federal record shows across Alabama — and how to grow with it.
We checked the federal record across Alabama — 27,834 documented sites across 8 of the 9 source types we track.
The most significant on record: 327 Superfund sites. Sites tracked in EPA's Superfund program — from assessment-stage CERCLIS entries to confirmed National Priorities List cleanup sites.
Alabama carries one of the heavier federal records we track — and that's not a verdict on your yard. Proximity to a documented site is information, not a diagnosis: nothing here says any particular parcel is affected. It does earn one concrete step — before food beds go in the ground, a professional soil test tells you exactly what you're working with, and raised beds with clean imported soil grow well almost anywhere in the meantime.
Sources Checked
across Alabama
Severity Distribution
across Alabama
Highest-Severity Sites
A note from Gnorman
What an experienced grower watches for around here
In and around Alabama, two things run higher than the national average across Alabama — CAFO (1,551 sites) and PFAS (290 sites). That's not a problem with your land — it's information about it.
CAFO: CAFOs pose a different contamination profile than chemical sources.
PFAS: PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) are called "forever chemicals" because they do not biodegrade.
Wash all produce consumed raw thoroughly, especially leafy greens grown near CAFOs.
Test irrigation water source — this is the primary pathway for PFAS to reach garden crops.
Sources: EPA, USGS — 1.8M documented sites tracked nationwide across 9 federal source types.
What Else to Consider for French Lavender in Alabama
Zone compatibility tells you about winter cold survival — but Alabama growers also need to think about:
Heavy clay soils in the Piedmont region
High humidity promotes fungal diseases
Fire ants are a persistent garden pest
Growing french lavender here specifically
French Lavender likes pH 5.8–8.3 and its growing tissue burns around -4°F (FAO ECOCROP), yet neither saves it from wet feet — SSURGO maps about 14.1% of Alabama poorly-drained, where its crown sit and rot.
Set french lavender high on bermed, grit-amended ground so winter and storm water drain away from the crown. How to handle it →
What to actually do about these — and the constraints that apply to every Alabama grower, not just french lavender — is covered on the Alabama growing guide.
Timing shifts within Alabama
Alabama isn't one climate. In Marion County, the last hard freeze (28°F) holds until about Mar 28 — roughly 26 days later than the recorded state median — so plant french lavender to your county's window, not the statewide date.
French Lavender needs about 180 days of frost-free season to complete its cycle. Even Marion County — Alabama’s shortest season at 225 frost-free days — clears that by 45 days, so season length isn’t the constraint anywhere in Alabama. What varies is your own parcel.
Across Alabama’s 67 counties the frost-free season runs from 225 days in Marion County to 297 days in Mobile County — a spread of 72 days, which is why a single statewide planting date misleads. The median Alabama county sees 266 frost-free days, leaving french lavender about 86 days of slack on a typical parcel — room for a second sowing where the season runs long.
County last-freeze dates and frost-free day counts: NOAA Regional Climate Centers ACIS (1991-2020), county 28°F freeze (earlier than the folk 32°F "last frost"). French Lavender's 180-day requirement: USDA PLANTS / Growable Ground plant database (minimum frost-free days). A parcel report resolves your address's own frost dates.
Pollinator + Wildlife Value
French Lavender draws honeybees, native bees, and butterflies (high value, Growable Ground Plant Database). Planting it near vegetable beds can lift fruit set on neighboring crops. Outdoors, french lavender can only work that bloom inside Alabama's frost window — roughly 266 days, opening after the last 28°F freeze (Feb 24 - Mar 16) and closing at the first (Nov 15 - Nov 28), per NOAA Regional Climate Centers ACIS, 1991-2020.
Good to Know Before You Plant French Lavender
French Lavender is listed as toxic to dogs, cats (all) at a mild level (ASPCA). Most listed plants only cause brief upset — a raised bed or a fenced corner usually keeps curious pets clear. Worth knowing for placement: french lavender is woody and hardy only from zone 8, against a Alabama low of zone 7, so it is overwintered under cover here rather than left standing outside — which is where it will be in reach.
Recommended French Lavender Varieties for Alabama
Alabama publishes no state variety trial for french lavender, so we won't invent a "best for Alabama" list. Choose types rated to your USDA hardiness zone (7b-9b), and confirm winter survival and drainage against your own parcel.
Alabama Cooperative Extension
For Alabama-specific cultivar recommendations, planting calendars, and pest pressure for french lavender, the canonical source is Alabama Cooperative Extension System. Their fact sheets carry the local trial data we can't generalize across 50 states.
Is French Lavender native to Alabama?
No — the USDA PLANTS Database lists French Lavender as introduced rather than native in the Lower 48, so it is not part of Alabama's native flora. It grows here as a garden plant; pairing it with a few Alabama natives keeps local pollinators fed too.
Looking for plants that belong here? The Alabama growing guide lists USDA-documented natives for the state.
Native-range data: USDA PLANTS Database state-distribution records, accessed 2026-07-01.
Common Questions About Growing French Lavender in Alabama
When can I plant French Lavender in Alabama?
Alabama's last spring hard freeze (28°F) clears between Feb 24 and Mar 16, and the first fall hard freeze lands between Nov 15 and Nov 28 (NOAA Regional Climate Centers ACIS, 1991-2020). French Lavender overwinters only from USDA zone 8 and warmer, and Alabama runs as cold as zone 7, so it does not survive winter in the ground here — the question for Alabama growers is how to carry it through winter under cover, not which week to plant it.
What hardiness zone is French Lavender grown in across Alabama?
Alabama spans USDA hardiness zones 7b-9b (USDA ARS PHZM 2023). French Lavender carries a range of zones 8-9, so the overlap zones are where outdoor growing is most reliable.
How many frost-free days does a typical Alabama site have?
A typical Alabama site sees ~266 frost-free days per year (derived from NOAA Regional Climate Centers ACIS, 1991-2020). French Lavender needs 180+ frost-free days, so check whether your local microclimate runs above or below the state average before settling on a planting date. In cooler counties like Marion, the freeze-free season runs shorter than the state average, so verify your own county's window.
Is French Lavender native to Alabama?
No — the USDA PLANTS Database lists French Lavender as introduced rather than native in the Lower 48, so it is not part of Alabama's native flora. It grows here as a garden plant; pairing it with a few Alabama natives keeps local pollinators fed too.
How should I amend the soil for French Lavender in Alabama?
French Lavender prefers pH 5.8-8.3 and well (dry spells), excessive (dry/moderately dry) drainage (FAO ECOCROP). That sits in the common-ground band across Alabama soils — a 30-minute soil test from a local Extension lab confirms it for your specific site.
Will French Lavender actually grow on my specific land in Alabama?
State-level zone + climate data is a sketch. A Growable Ground parcel report scores french lavender against your address's exact soil pH, drainage, sun, and frost-date data drawn from USDA SSURGO, NOAA, and PRISM — not state averages.
Check your specific parcel in Alabama
State-level data is a sketch. Your Growable Ground report scores french lavender against your parcel's exact soil, sun, drainage, and frost data — not zone averages.
Three things about your lot that Alabama french lavender averages can't show:
We read public map data around Alabama — soil, climate, flood, and parcel records. How we handle your address.
25+ data sources read at your address, not the Alabama french lavender average
Explore More
Growing guides for french lavender
Explore Alabama county by county
Alabama carries 67 counties with their own USDA zone — a sample of the growing pages for french lavender there:
Where else french lavender grows
French Lavender's zone band crosses state lines — these are the states closest to Alabama in winter climate where it also has a page, plus the far ends of its range. Each one re-answers the question with that state's own record.
More to grow in Alabama
Alabama has a growing page for 1,034 plants — a rotating sample of the rest of the shelf.
Analysis by the Growable Ground research team, grounded in USDA PLANTS, USDA NRCS SSURGO, NOAA Climate Normals (1991-2020), and named Cooperative Extension sources. How we know →
Cite this dataset
Kirchick, M. (2026). Growable Ground Plant Database [Data set]. Zenodo. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.21435643
Licensed CC BY-NC 4.0. DOI 10.5281/zenodo.21435643
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