Lavender

Lavender (Latin: Lavandula) is a genus of 47 known species of flowering plants in the mint family, Lamiaceae. It is native to the Old World and is found from Cape Verde and the Canary Islands, Europe across to northern and eastern Africa, the Mediterranean, southwest Asia to southeast India. Many members of the genus are cultivated extensively in temperate climates as ornamental plants for garden and landscape use, for use as culinary herbs, and also commercially for the extraction of essential oils.

Description

Lavenders are small aromatic evergreen shrubs with usually narrow, simple, entire to pinnately toothed or lobed leaves and small tubular flowers in dense spikes in summer.

Cultivation

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. Lavender is also used extensively as herbal filler inside sachets used to freshen linens. Dried and sealed in pouches, lavender flowers are placed among stored items of clothing to give a fresh fragrance and to deter moths.

Uses

Lavender is used in traditional medicine. It is believed to have antiseptic and anti-inflammatory properties, which can help to heal minor burns and bug bites. Research suggests that it may be useful for treating anxiety, insomnia, depression, and restlessness.

See also

• Lavandula angustifolia
• Lavandula stoechas
• Lavandula latifolia
• Lavandula dentata
• Lavandula multifida
• Lavandula pedunculata

External links

• Lavender Sense

Lavender Resources
Latest articles Most recent articles Ongoing trials	Wikipedia