Lavandula angustifolia 'Melissa'

Common name(s): English lavender

Description: evergreen shrub; a color sport of a 'Munstead' seedling (erroneously sold as 'Compacta' in the 1990s) that we selected in 1994 and named by Andrew Van Hevelingen, for his wonderful wife. We later introduced it in 1999 after some evaluation and it is now popular across the U.S., U.K. and France. Compact foliage and very sweetly fragrant, white flower spikes that become pink as they mature on mid-length stems. Prized for high quality essential oil and culinary use. Earlier and longer-blooming than most pink-flowered cultivars.

Height: to 2 ft. Spread: to 3 ft.

Stem length: 8-10 in.  

Corolla: opens white and then becomes off-white with a pink-mauve center

Calyx: dark violet, sage green at the base

Bloom season: early summer

Best Uses: landscaping, culinary, bouquets, essential oil

Position: full sun and well-draining soil

Winter Hardiness: to 0 F and below

Drought: adapted to 3 months of summer drought