What is Lavender?

Lavender is one of the most universally adored herbs, enjoyed for thousands of years across the globe. It can be enjoyed as a tea, essential oil, powder, in skin and haircare products, and even cleaning products. It’s cultivated around the planet. It is enjoyed by of people of all ages, a nice calming herb that even children could use. It’s a seminal herb for tension. 

It’s a member of the mint family and is excellent for promoting rest and relaxation.

I love Lavender so much, I even created a plant rap about it! Check below for the video.

It can support a number of skin conditions from sunburns to irritated tissues, making it a nice topical oil. Its antimicrobial actions are also beneficial for cleansing. In fact, the word derives from the latin verb “lavare” meaning to wash.

Herbal Monograph Profile: info on Lavender

An herbal monograph is a complete profile of a plant: covering the plant’s botany, herbal energetics, how it has been traditionally used for health benefits and modernly used. This also reviews potential safety considerations. 

See below for my herbal monograph profile on Lavender, to discover key benefits and learnings.*

Scientific Name:  Lavandula spp.

Family:  Lamiaceae

Common Name: Lavender

Parts Used and Collection: Flower

Habitat and Cultivation: Europe (UK, Mediterranean, France), North America. Cultivated all around the globe.

Taste: Slightly sweet, bitter and salty

Energetics: Cooling and drying

Health Actions: Antibacterial, antidepressant, nervine, antispasmodic, carminative, circulatory stimulant, diaphoretic

Lavender Traditional Uses

Lavender was prized by the Ancient Greeks, Romans, Egyptians, French and English. While it’s not native to England, English Lavender likely got its name from the time of Queen Elizabeth I who is said to have adored it as a tea and perfume and had it in her gardens.

Lavender Health Benefits & Modern Uses

Note: the information below is purely educational, it doesn’t substitute professional medical advice.

Digestive Health

As part of the mint family, Lavender is great for stomach cramps, bloating and gas due to its carminative and antispasmodic actions. Drink this as a tea after a full meal.

Nervous System Health

Lavender is heavenly for stress and nervous tension. This is great as aromatherapy as an essential oil, added into bath salts, as a hydrosol, tea, tincture, or flower essence. One of the many active constituents, linalool, helps decrease anxiety and has antinociceptive actions, meaning it’s protective against toxic stimuli, like chemicals, mechanical injury and extreme changes in temperature.  This is a great herb for helping induce sleep, internally and with aromatherapy.

Skin Health

Lavender is a great topical for aches and pains and also as a perfume. This is soothing to burns, rashes, cuts, poison ivy and disinfecting wounds. It’s one of the few essential oils that can be applied undiluted to the skin, though shouldn’t be applied to an open wound. 

Household Products

Lavender’s antibacterial properties make it a great herb for natural home cleaning, often used in sprays to disinfect surfaces and also as an aromatic spray to improve the scent of a room.

Lavender: How to Use it, Science and Safety

How to use Lavender:

Lavender can be nice as a:

• herbal infusion or hot tea

• culinary uses in cooking and baking

• syrup

• powder

• essential oil

• topical infused oil

• tincture

An easy way to make it is by using about 1-3 teaspoons per 8oz of hot water, steeping for 7-10 minutes.

Check out the herbal mocktail recipe for how to make a lavender syrup!

Common Herbal Combinations:

These herbs can pair nicely with Lavender:

• Chamomile (Matricaria recutita)

• Lemon Balm (Melissa officinalis)

• Mint (Mentha spp.)

• Passionflower (Passiflora incarnata)

• Turmeric (Curcuma Longa)

• Rose (Rosa spp)

• Calendula (Calendula officinalis)

Safety and Contraindications:

Chamomile is generally recognized as safe GRAS. It may have mild toxicity for animals.

Pregnancy and Lactation: Generally recognized as safe in pregnancy and lactation. Always consult with a doctor.

Creating a Connection with Lavender

Curious about lavender? Feel free to leave a comment below or reach out to me directly! And remember, it’s always good to consider if an herb is right for you.

The Lavender Plant Rap

CHECK OUT THE LAVENDER PLANT RAP! LINK HERE OR CLICK ON THE IMAGE.

*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. The information above is purely educational and cannot substitute professional medical advice. It is not intended to treat, cure, or diagnose medical conditions. Consult with a medical professional if you have any concerns.