Lavender honey
Monofloral honey from lavender nectar: light, with a medium woody and floral aroma; EU law allows up to 15 g sucrose per 100 g.
Lavender honey is a monofloral honey from lavender nectar, mainly lavandin (Lavandula x intermedia) grown for essential oil in France and Spain; Lavandula angustifolia, L. latifolia and L. stoechas also contribute. The colour is light and the flavour moderate. The honey is traded internationally.
International Honey Commission data (261 samples) describe a light colour with a bright yellow tone, a medium woody and floral odour, medium acidity and moderate crystallisation. Mean conductivity is 0.21 mS/cm, water 16.7 g/100 g and sucrose 5.7 g/100 g on average (0 to 12.3). EU law allows up to 15 g sucrose per 100 g in lavender honey, against 5 g in most honeys.
Lavandin pollen is strongly under-represented or even absent in the honey, so a pollen count alone cannot prove its origin. The reputation of Miel de Provence (France, PGI) is tied to lavender, rosemary and multi-flower honeys, with pollens specific to Provence.
Why this matters to you: the higher sucrose in lavender honey is lawful, not a sign of fraud. Because pollen does not prove origin, rely on the country of harvest on the label and on recognised names such as Miel de Provence.
Facts
| Raw material | Lavender nectar, mainly lavandin (Lavandula x intermedia) |
|---|---|
| Region | France and Spain (lavandin grown for essential oil) |
| Taste | Light; medium woody and floral odour, medium acidity |
| Sweetness | EU law: sucrose up to 15 g/100 g; mean 5.7 g/100 g |
| Botanical origin | Lavandula x intermedia, L. angustifolia, L. latifolia, L. stoechas |
| Colour | Light, bright yellow; mean 33 mm Pfund |
| Crystallization | Moderate |
How it connects to Honey & beekeeping
Lavender honey → kind of → Blossom and honeydew honey → kind of → 🍯 Honey
Links
- Part of
- Monofloral honey, Blossom and honeydew honey
- Similar and different
- Miel de Provence, Rosemary honey, Famille Michaud, Langnese Flotte Biene Spender, Breitsamer Mediterrane Honige, Mieli Thun, Arroyo de Miel, Serramel, Sądecki Bartnik Miody świata, Serramel Mel com Frutas
and 20 more
Brezzo, Miel Muria, Famille Vacher, Hoyer, Pastili, Brezzo Il Miele Italiano, Muria Bio, Famille Vacher Miels 100 % français, Pastili BioHoney, Pastili BioComb Honeycomb, Pastili Bulgarian Balkans Honey, Breitsamer Lavendelhonig aus Frankreich, Arroyo de Miel Miel de Lavanda, Serramel Mel de Rosmaninho, Serramel Mel de Rosmaninho da Beira Baixa, Sądecki Bartnik Miód lawendowy, Serramel Mel de Portugal, Serramel Mel de Rosmaninho das Serras do Algarve, Famille Vacher Miel de lavande de France, Pastili BioHoney Lavender - In other topics
- Honey plants, Turrón de Alicante
- Which plants it comes from
- Lavender
Frequently asked questions
What is lavender honey made from?
From lavender nectar, mainly lavandin (Lavandula x intermedia) grown in France and Spain.
What sucrose limit applies?
EU law allows up to 15 g sucrose per 100 g, against 5 g in most honeys.
What does it look and taste like?
Light with a bright yellow tone; medium woody and floral odour and medium acidity.
Is it true that lavender pollen proves where the honey comes from?
No, lavandin pollen is strongly under-represented or absent, so a pollen count alone cannot prove origin.
How is lavender linked to Miel de Provence?
The reputation of Miel de Provence is tied to lavender, rosemary and multi-flower honeys.
What to read next
- Honey plants — Plants from which bees collect nectar and pollen: black locust, lime, buckwheat, sunflower, rapeseed, chestnut, heather, lavender.
- Turrón de Alicante — Hard Spanish nougat of roasted almonds in a mass of honey (at least 10 %), sugar and egg white, protected as a PGI and made in Jijona.
- Rosemary honey — Rosemary honey is a monofloral honey made from the nectar of rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis), very pale, with a fresh, delicate taste.
- Famille Vacher Miel de lavande de France — Creamy French lavender honey by Famille Vacher, «Les Français» range.
- Serramel — Serramel is a Portuguese honey brand from Penamacor in Beira Baixa.
Similar
Chestnut honey · Lime (linden) honey · Heather honey · Acacia honey · Thyme honey · Sunflower honey
ℹ️ Honey is mostly sugars: about 82 g per 100 g. Do not give honey to babies under 1 year old because of the risk of infant botulism.
Sources
- Persano Oddo L., Piro R. (2004) Main European unifloral honeys: descriptive sheets. Apidologie 35 (Suppl. 1) S38-S81
- Council Directive 2001/110/EC relating to honey (consolidated text, EUR-Lex)
- Codex Alimentarius, Standard for Honey CODEX STAN 12-1981
- Application for registration of Miel de Provence, OJ C 261, 30.10.2003 (EUR-Lex)