Product Field NotesLavender Plants
Alba Lavender: White Grosso for Bright Bundles and Borders
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Alba lavender is a white-flowered lavandin, also sold as White Grosso. It grows into a full, bushy mound about two and a half feet tall and a little wider, with gray-green foliage and long stems of clean white flowers. The scent is strong: sweet lavender with a noticeable, fresh camphor edge.
It is Lavandula × intermedia 'Alba', a hybrid of English lavender and spike lavender, and it holds the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit with an H5 hardiness rating.
Alba at a glance
| Trait | What to expect |
|---|---|
| Botanical name | Lavandula × intermedia 'Alba' (White Grosso) |
| Flower color | White |
| Foliage | Gray-green |
| Size | About 31.5 inches tall and 35.4 inches wide |
| Habit | Mounding and bushy |
| Bloom | Starts late June, peaks mid-July, single flush |
| Hardiness | USDA zones 5a to 8b; RHS H5 |
| Fragrance | Strong, sweet and floral-herbal with camphor freshness |
| Recognition | RHS Award of Garden Merit |
Designing with white lavender
White lavender changes how a planting reads. Next to deep purple lavandins it sharpens the contrast; next to pale pink or blue English lavenders it softens everything into a cottage look. Alba's size makes it a good anchor at the back of a bed or the end of a row, and a run of it makes a striking low hedge that glows at dusk when darker flowers fade into the shadows.
Because it blooms with the lavandins, slightly after the main English lavender peak, it also extends the season if you grow both types.
Planting and spacing
Give Alba full sun and soil that drains quickly. Sandy loam and gravelly soil are ideal; heavy clay needs a raised bed or a generous mound. Space plants about 36 inches apart to allow for the 35-inch spread, with a little extra room on paths so the stems do not brush every passerby. They will anyway, which is half the fun.
Plant the crown level with the soil, water deeply to settle the roots and keep bark mulch and compost off the base. The USDA Zone Finder confirms it fits your area.
Care through the year
- First season: water deeply when the top few inches dry out, then ease off once new growth is steady.
- Established plants: low water needs.
- Winter: Alba needs a winter chill to bloom well, and its zone 5a rating suits Great Lakes gardens when drainage is good.
- Pruning: cut back after bloom or harvest to shape a rounded mound, staying above the woody base with a few inches of green left. The Pruning Calendar lays out timing.
- Feeding: minimal. Lean soil keeps the stems upright.
Harvest, drying and other uses
Alba is rated excellent for dried flowers, fresh bouquets and oil. For bundles, cut on a dry morning when about a third of the flowers are open and hang them in a dark, airy place so the white stays clean instead of yellowing in sunlight. White bundles mix beautifully with purple ones in wreaths, wedding pieces and table runners.
Lavandin is rated good for culinary use, but its camphor note is stronger than English lavender. Use only buds grown as a food crop and start small.
Choosing a plant format
Alba is offered as a 3-inch plug, a 4-inch pot or a 1-gallon pot. Plugs are the thrifty choice for a hedge; gallon plants give a quicker show. See the product page for current sizes and availability, and use Notify Me there if it is not available right now.
Frequently asked questions
Is Alba the same as White Grosso?
Yes. The listing carries both names for the same white lavandin.
Will the flowers stay white when dried?
They dry pale and clean when hung out of direct sun. Light exposure is what fades and yellows them.
How is Alba different from white English lavenders?
Alba is a much larger lavandin with longer stems and a stronger, more camphor-like scent. The Compare tool shows the differences side by side.
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