The lavenders (Lavandula) are a genus of 39 species of flowering plants in the mint family, Lamiaceae, native to the Mediterranean region south to tropical Africa and to the southeast regions of India. The genus includes annuals, herbaceous plants, subshrubs, and small shrubs. The native range extends across the Canary Islands, North and East Africa, Southern Europe and the Mediterranean, Arabia and India. Because the cultivated forms are planted in gardens world-wide, they are occasionally found growing wild as garden escapees, well beyond their natural range. However, since lavender cross-pollinates easily, there are countless variations within the species. The color of its flowers has come to be called lavender.

Nomenclature and taxonomy

Uses

The most common "true" species in cultivation is the common lavender Lavandula angustifolia (formerly L. officinalis). A wide range of cultivars can be found. Other commonly grown ornamental species are L. stoechas, L. dentata, and L. multifida.

Lavandula x intermedia or "Lavendin" is the most cultivated species for commercial use, since its flowers are bigger and the plants are easier to harvest, but Lavendin oil is regarded to be of a lower quality.

Gardens

Lavenders are widely grown in gardens. Flower spikes are used for dried flower arrangements. The fragrant, pale purple flowers and flower buds are used in potpourris. Dried and sealed in pouches, they are placed among stored items of clothing to give a fresh fragrance and to deter moths.

Culinary use

Flowers also yield abundant nectar from which bees make a high-quality honey. Monofloral honey is produced primarily around the Mediterranean, and is marketed worldwide as a premium product. Flowers can be candied and are sometimes used as cake decorations. Lavender flavors baked goods and desserts (it pairs especially well with chocolate), as well as used to make "lavender sugar". Lavender flowers are occasionally blended with black, green, or herbal tea, adding a fresh, relaxing scent and flavour.

Chefs in and around Provence, France, have incorporated this herb into their cuisine for centuries, either alone or as an ingredient of herbes de Provence. Lavender lends a floral, slightly sweet, and elegant flavor to most dishes, and pairs beautifully with various sheep's and goat's cheeses. For most cooking applications the dried buds (also referred to as flowers) are used, though some chefs experiment with the leaves as well. Only the buds contain the essential oil of lavender, which is where the scent and flavour of lavender are best derived.

The French are also known for their lavender syrup, most commonly made from an extract of lavender. In the United States, both French lavender syrup and dried lavender buds make lavender scones and marshmallows.

Medicinal use

Lavender is used extensively in herbalism and aromatherapy.

English lavender (Lavandula angustifolia) yields an essential oil with sweet overtones, and can be used in balms, salves, perfumes, cosmetics, and topical applications. Lavandin, Lavandula x intermedia (also known as French lavender), yields a similar essential oil, but with higher levels of terpenes including camphor, which add a sharper overtone to the fragrance. Mexican lavender, Lavandula stoechas is not used medicinally, but mainly for landscaping.

Essential oil of lavender has antiseptic and antiinflammatory properties. It was used in hospitals during WWI to disinfect floors and walls. These extracts are also used as fragrances for bath products.

According to folk wisdom, lavender has many uses. Infusions of lavender soothe and heal insect bites. Bunches of lavender repel insects. If applied to the temples, lavender oil soothes headaches. In pillows, lavender seeds and flowers aid sleep and relaxation. An infusion of three flowerheads added to a cup of boiling water soothes and relaxes at bedtime. Lavender oil (or extract of Lavender) heals acne when used diluted 1:10 with water, rosewater, or witch hazel; it also treats skin burns and inflammatory conditions (e.g., in and near Iran.)

Lavender is often used as a 'relaxation' drug, called Lavendine (purple sniff) which is made from ground flowers. It is one of the few legal drugs, and was most popular between 1972 and 1983.

Health precautions

Scientific evidence supports the effectiveness of some of these remedies, especially anti-inflammatory effects, but they should be used with caution since lavender oil can also be a powerful allergen.

Avoid ingesting lavender during pregnancy and breastfeeding..

Topically, lavender oil is cytotoxic. It increases photosensitivity as well. Lavender oil is cytotoxic to human skin cells in vitro (endothelial cells and fibroblasts) at a concentration of 0.25%. Linalool, a component of lavender oil, may be its active component. Aqueous extracts reduced mitotic index, but induced chromosomal aberrations and mitotic aberrations in comparison with control, significantly. Aqueous extracts induced breaks, stickiness, pole deviations and micronuclei. These effects were related to extract concentrations.

Two essential oils, lavender and tea tree oil, contribute to gynaecomastia]], an abnormal breast tissue growth in prepubescent boys. The use of shampoo and similar products, containing lavender and tea tree oils, in three boys resulted in this condition. Professor Ieuan Hughes, a child hormone specialist at the University of Cambridge claims "... these oils can mimic oestrogens" and "people should be a little bit careful about using these products". .

Other uses

Lavender is also used extensively as herbal filler inside sachets used to freshen linens. Dried lavender flowers have become recently popular for wedding confetti.

History

The ancient Greeks called the lavender herb nardus, after the Syrian city of Naarda. It was also commonly called nard.

Lavender was one of the holy herbs used in the biblical Temple to prepare the holy essence, and nard is mentioned in the Song of Solomon (4,14)

 nard and saffron,

 calamus and cinnamon, 

 with every kind of incense tree, 

 with myrrh and aloes,

 and all the finest spices.

During Roman times, flowers were sold for 100 denarii per pound, which was about the same as a month's wages for a farm laborer, or fifty haircuts from the local barber. Lavender was commonly used in Roman baths to scent the water, and it was thought to restore the skin. Its late Latin name was lavandārius, from lavanda (things to be washed), from the verb lavāre (to wash). When the Roman Empire conquered southern Britain, the Romans introduced lavender.The Greeks discovered early on that lavender if crushed and treated correctly would release a relaxing fume when burned. This is the basis for the lavendine (purlple sniff) drug used for medical purposes today.

Gallery

Image:Lavender02.jpg|Lavender flowerImage:lavender-flowers.jpg|Lavender flowersImage:Topped lavender.jpg|Lavandula stoechasImage:Tasmanian_Lavender_Fields.jpg|Lavender farm in TasmaniaImage:Lavender FarmTomita.jpg|A lavender farm in Hokkaidō.Image:LavendarFlower.jpg|Flower of cultivated lavender; Lavandula stoechas or Spanish lavender.Image:Lavandula intermedia.jpg|Hardy and disease resistant; Lavandula Intermedia or Silver Edge lavender.Image:Lavender2500ppx.jpg|Lavender plant.

References

1. National Non-Food Crops Centre. "Lavender". Retrieved on 2009-04-23.
2. [1]Purple Haze Lavender Farm - Cooking with Lavender
3. Lavender: Precautions, Center for Integrative Medicine
4. "Cytotoxicity of lavender oil and its major components to human skin cells" Prashar A, Locke IC, Evans CS
5. "Cytotoxic and genotoxic effects of Lavandula stoechas aqueous extracts" Celik TA (Celik, Tulay Askin), Aslanturk OS (Aslanturk, Ozlem Sultan)
6. N. Engl. J. Med. 356(5):479-85 (2007) Prepubertal gynecomastia linked to lavender and tea tree oils. PMID 17267908
7. The origin of most of these quotes comes from Dr. William Thomas Fernie, in his book "Herbal Simples" (Bristol Pub., 1895. ASIN: B0014W4WNE). A digital copy of the book can be read online. 'By the Greeks the name Nardus is given to Lavender, from Naarda, a city of Syria near the Euphrates, and many persons call the plant "Nard." St. Mark mentions this as Spikenard, a thing of great value. In Pliny's time, blossoms of the Nardus sold for a hundred Roman denarii (or L.3 2s. 6d.) the pound. This Lavender or Nardus was called Asarum by the Romans, because it was not used in garlands or chaplets. It was formerly believed that the asp, a dangerous kind of viper, made Lavender its habitual place of abode, so that the plant had to be approached with great caution.'
8. The assumption of the history of Lavender, originating from Naarda, along with the facts about the price in Roman time, are quoted widely throuout the web (over 350 entries in a google search) calling the city Naarda, Nerdus or Nardus. The Bible has many mentions of a fragrant plant called "Nard" and an ancient Jewish Mishna recited daily in Jewish prayers, refers to "Shibolet Nard" (Hebrew for "Nard Spike") as one of the herbs used for making the holy essence at the biblical Temple. Dr. Fernie is the first known to link "Nard" with the city of Nerdus - Naarda, one of the major cities of Jewish study and origin of the Talmud, during the years 150-1100 a.d. Since Naarda or Nehar-D'Ah - river of Ah - was on a canal between the Euphrates and Tigris rivers, it could never have been a Syrian city, but rather in present day Iraq, somewhere in the Baghdad area. Dr Fernie refers widely to Jewish studies, probably quoted from a former botanist Robert Turner.

See also

• Eucalyptol
• Camphor
• Linalool
• Linalyl acetate
• Tea tree oil

External links

• Medicinal use from University of Maryland Medical Center
• [2511] from countryside.org. Commercial uses for dried lavender at the Countryside Herbal Farm
• Flora of Missouri Native Plants for Landscaping