Lavandula angustifolia 'Melissa' Lavender

🌸 Melissa Lavender – Fragrant, Calming Live Plants

Grown at Charsaw Farms in Oregon. Perfect for herb gardens, teas, scent borders, and calming blends. Seasonal spring shipping — limited stock!

🌿 Quick Care

☀️ Sun: Full sun (6–8+ hours)

💧 Water: Low once established

🌱 Soil: Well-drained, sandy or loamy

📏 Spacing: 12–18 inches

📐 Size: 12–18 in tall and wide

❄️ Hardiness: Zones 5–9

🌼 Best Use: Culinary, borders, containers, herb gardens

Growing Tip:

Plant in a sunny spot with excellent drainage. Lavender performs best when roots are allowed to dry out between waterings, which helps prevent rot and supports healthy growth. 

Melissa is an English lavender valued for its soft, elegant coloring. Instead of the deep purples many people associate with lavender, it produces airy flower spikes in pale pink and creamy white tones. This gives the plant a light, calming presence that blends beautifully into cottage gardens, herb beds, and mixed borders.

Its fragrance and flavor are noticeably mild, which is exactly why Melissa is so popular for culinary use. In baking, teas, syrups, and herbal blends, it adds a delicate lavender note without overpowering other ingredients. If you’ve ever found traditional lavender too strong, this is often the variety that changes people’s minds. It allows you to enjoy lavender in the kitchen in a more balanced, approachable way.

Melissa grows into a naturally tidy, well-shaped plant, forming a compact, rounded shrub that requires very little maintenance to keep looking good. Because of this neat habit, it works especially well in borders, raised beds, herb gardens, and containers, where space and appearance both matter.

For best results, plant Melissa in full sun and well-drained soil. Like most English lavenders, it dislikes sitting in wet or heavy soil, especially in winter. Good drainage helps prevent root problems and helps the plant stay healthy and productive over time. When given plenty of sunlight and dry feet, Melissa will reward you with reliable blooms, strong growth, and high-quality harvests for both garden beauty and kitchen use.

WHY GARDENERS LOVE IT

• Soft pink and creamy white flowers
• Mild, delicate lavender flavor
• Excellent for baking and tea
• Compact, tidy growth habit
• Light, romantic garden presence
• Easy to grow 

HOW IT GROWS

• Plant type: Evergreen shrub
• Sun: Full sun
• Soil: Well-drained soil
• Water: Low once established
• Hardiness: USDA Zones 5–9
• Growth habit: Compact, rounded 

Good drainage supports long life and consistent bloom.

SIZE & BLOOM

• Height × Width: ~2 ft. × 3 ft.
• Stem length: ~8–10 inches
• Flower color: Soft pink and creamy white
• Bloom time: Early summer
• Flavor profile: Mild and delicate

PLANTING TIPS

• Plant in full sun
• Avoid heavy or poorly drained soil
• Space plants to allow airflow
• Water regularly during the first growing season

BEST USES

• Culinary lavender (baking, teas, syrups, desserts)
• Herb gardens
• Containers and raised beds
• Soft, romantic landscape plantings
• Dried flowers and sachets

 CULINARY USES

Melissa works especially well for:

• Baking and desserts
• Lavender sugar and syrups
• Herbal teas
• Ice cream and custards
• Light floral blends

 HOW TO KNOW MELISSA IS RIGHT FOR YOU

Choose Melissa if you: 

• Prefer pastel flowers
• Want a mild, approachable lavender flavor
• Garden in smaller spaces
• Enjoy cooking with herbs

Melissa is especially well suited for home gardeners and culinary enthusiasts seeking a lavender that’s both practical and gently beautiful. If other culinary lavenders have felt too strong, this is often the variety that changes minds.