A Lavender with Powdery Fuzz
Species: Lavandula angustifolia
Cultivar: ‘Melissa Lilac’
Flower Color: Powdery purple (similar to flowers of purple lilacs)
Stem Length: 10 – 12 inches
Plant Height: 18 – 28 inches
Plant Spread: 36 inches
Origin unknown: Introduced by Simon Charlesworth, Downderry Nursery, Kent, UK in 2003.
‘Melissa Lilac’ is a unique lavender with broad leaves, strong stems and a compact growth habit. It produces beautiful flowers with unusual powdery light purple furry calyces (buds) that open to stunning, soft purple, lilac-colored flowers. In the morning and evening light, the calyces seem to have a glowing effect.
This cultivar blooms in early to mid June in the Pacific NW and is lovely planted in the garden with dark purple-blue lavenders and other perennials with dark foliage or flowers.
The contrasting color of the calyces and corollas make this cultivar an excellent choice for beautiful fresh bouquets and flower arrangements when mixed with other contrasting flowers. The dried bundles and buds add a soft color and sweet aroma to dried crafts and may also be used as culinary lavender. The flowers from ‘Melissa Lilac’ are also distilled for their sweet essential oil. Note: This cultivar should not be confused with the white/pink flowering cultivar L. angustifolia ‘Melissa’.
Photo credits: Downderry Nursery
Contributed by
Chris Mulder
Barn Owl Nursery
Edited & formatted by
Michael Lemmers
RavenCroft
