Use & Care NotesLavender Plants
Melissa Lavender: White Blooms That Blush Pale Pink
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Melissa lavender is a compact English lavender with flowers that open white and gradually blush to pale pink as they age. Set over gray-green foliage on an upright, compact plant about 19 inches tall and up to 36 inches wide, it reads as soft and pale in the garden, a welcome change from the usual purple.
Its fragrance is sweet and floral with soft herbal notes and little camphor, which is exactly what most people want from a lavender meant for the kitchen.
Melissa at a glance
| Trait | What to expect |
|---|---|
| Botanical name | Lavandula angustifolia 'Melissa' |
| Flower color | White, aging to pale pink |
| Foliage | Gray-green |
| Size | About 19 inches tall and up to 36 inches wide |
| Bloom | Starts mid-June, peaks mid-July, moderate rebloom |
| Hardiness | USDA zones 5a to 8b |
| Fragrance | Sweet floral, soft herbal, low camphor |
| Ratings | Great culinary; excellent cut and dried flowers |
A pale lavender with purpose
White and pale pink lavenders make purple ones look richer. Plant Melissa in drifts between deep violet cultivars, at the front of a pastel border, or in a white garden with silver foliage. Its compact, upright habit keeps it neat along paths and in raised beds, and its pale flowers stay visible in evening light.
Melissa is also a favorite with people who want lavender for baking and tea that does not look like every other plant on the block.
Planting and care
- Site: full sun with sandy or loamy, quick-draining soil. Raise beds in heavy clay.
- Spacing: about two and a half to three feet so air moves between mounds.
- Water: deeply when the top few inches dry out during the first season, then sparingly.
- Feeding: very light. Extra nitrogen means floppy growth and fewer flowers.
- Pruning: shear lightly after the main bloom, staying in the leafy part of the plant.
Check timing for your area with the Frost Date Estimator.
Harvesting for the kitchen and vase
Melissa is rated great for culinary use. Cut buds on a dry morning when they are fully formed and only a few flowers have opened, dry them in the shade and store them airtight. Its low-camphor sweetness suits lavender sugar, shortbread, lemonade syrups and tea blends. Use only plants grown and handled as a food crop, and start with a small amount.
It is rated excellent for both fresh and dried flowers. Pale bundles look lovely mixed with darker lavender, and the gentle color shift from white to pink adds interest in a vase.
Plants, plugs and trays
Melissa comes in several formats. Individual plants are offered as 3-inch plugs, 4-inch pots and 1-gallon pots for home gardens. Growers planting rows or potting up their own stock can choose a full 72-cell plug tray or a deep 20-cell plug tray. See each product page for current sizes and availability, or browse the Wholesale Hub for tray orders.
Frequently asked questions
Why are my Melissa flowers turning pink?
That is normal. The flowers open white and age to pale pink, so a plant in full bloom often shows both.
Is Melissa good for culinary use?
Yes. It is rated great for culinary use, with a sweet, low-camphor profile.
Should I buy a plug tray or single plants?
Single plants suit gardens and small beds. Trays make sense when you are planting many plants at once or growing them on yourself.
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