Lavender: Properties, Uses, and Varieties

Highly recommended for nausea. It stimulates the appetite. purifies the skin, treats burns and skin inflammation, relaxes. Lavender, in its various versions in the form of brew and oil, is an edible, highly fragrant plant belonging to the Lamiaceae family. Its peak splendor begins in spring and lasts throughout the summer, the period in which it is recommended to harvest its flowers. fragrant flowers, also very useful for perfuming the linen and home environments throughout the year. Among other things, the cultivation Growing lavender is simple, and you can even do it in a simple pot: the important thing is that it's well exposed to the sun. Lavender has a herbaceous appearance and is characterized by a spike-like inflorescence. Lavender is a perennial plant with woody roots. Its buds are located about 30 centimeters above the ground, and its stems are branched or simple. Lavender is a plant aromatica, with red bark. The blade of its leaves can be lanceolate, linear, or feather-shaped. Its colorful flowers are grouped in thin spikes, as already mentioned, while the fruit is called a "schizocarp" and is made up of four "nucules," that is, four woody fruits that resemble a walnut, smooth and hairless. Lavender resists summer climates very well and even the cold of winter. Its natural exposure is to sun and wind, but, since it is a Mediterranean plant, lavender also tolerates hot and dry areas. It should not be watered Water often, and the soil should always be kept moist. It doesn't require fertilizer, doesn't like humidity, and thrives in the garden, provided the soil it grows in is clayey or alkaline and, above all, well-drained.

Index of topics

Nutritional values

Lavender can be consumed without any problems, even in infusions and herbal teas, as it contains very few calories. 100 grams of lavender contains only 130 calories, and its nutritional values are low. Specifically, regarding the nutritional properties of lavender, 100 grams of lavender provides only 49 calories and:

1 gram of fat
287 IU of vitamin A
215 mg of calcium
2 mg of iron

Lavender is a source of polyphenols.

Benefits

Lavender is well known for its lovely fragrance, capable of perfuming the home, fabrics, and the body. Lavender essence is also widely used in aromatherapy and helps manage various ailments. Let's explore its benefits together.

Lavender contains the linalool, which is a calming and relaxing substance, and for this reason has notable anxiolytic and sedative properties. Lavender, therefore, promotes the night rest and it is also a very valid remedy againstinsomnia.
La tincture Lavender is a natural remedy for muscle tension headaches. For this condition, lavender essential oil can also be massaged into the temples or sniffed on a handkerchief soaked in it. Even lavender herbal tea It is an effective remedy.
The essential oil Lavender oil soothes abdominal pain and spasms during painful periods. It also has antifungal properties and can be used topically for vaginal candidiasis.
Lavender essential oil is a powerful antibacterialTherefore, even when mixed with intimate cleanser, it can combat urinary and genital tract infections. For the same reason, it's effective for laundry and household chores.
Lavender oil is a remedy against insect bites, heals quickly, treats sunburn, soothes inflammation caused by jellyfish stings and helps fight acne.
Lavender also has a good balsamic action and therefore releases the stuffy nose, soothes the cough and helps in case of sinusitis.
With lavender essential oil you can perform effective massages against muscle tears and rheumatism.
The same oil fights the imperfections of the cellulitis, if massaged on the lymphatic stagnation.
Lavender essential oil is useful for fighting small digestive disorders, the flatulence, colic.
Lavender oil cleanses the scalp, freeing him from dandruff.

Variety

When talking about lavender, we're referring to different types of plants, as there are many different varieties. Therefore, anyone planning to grow it in their garden or on their balcony should know that they can choose from several varieties, based not only on personal taste but also on each variety's ability to adapt to local climate and soil. Let's take a look at the most common and cultivated varieties.

One of the best known and most cultivated varieties is the “lavender officinalis"which grows in Mediterranean areas and has silvery, lanceolate leaves. Its flowers are purple and give off a very pleasant scent; for this reason, it is widely used in phytotherapy and aromatherapy and also to prepare essential oil.
Then there is “the lavandula dentata", so called because its leaves are serrated. Its scent is less intense than other species, but its blooms last much longer, even a year, if the climate where it grows is mild. This lavender is mainly ornamental, preferring calcareous soil and abundant sunlight. Because it has antispasmodic and antiseptic effects, it is widely used in herbal medicine.
The "wild lavender"It has purple bracts at the tip of the flower. It requires full sun to grow and is undoubtedly the most fragrant lavender species. An essential oil rich in flavonoids and boasting multiple therapeutic properties is obtained from it.
The "lavender latifolia"It is used to produce an essential oil with a high concentration of camphor. It is the least cultivated species, partly because its scent is not very strong; the flowers appear in late summer and are pale purple.
The "Lavender Hidcote Blue" (or dwarf lavender), is small, has blue flowers, and is well grown in pots. It flowers profusely and has a very intense aroma.

When does lavender bloom?

Lavender blooms for a very long time. It begins around mid-June and continues until mid-August. Obviously, the dates vary based on the climate of each season and the variety of lavender, as well as the altitude. The spectacle of lavender blooms is unmissable. for the beauty of the flowers and their unmistakable scent.

How to scent your home with lavender

Lavender is also an excellent ally in household cleaning, thanks to its antiseptic and disinfectant properties and its unique scent. Therefore, it can be used to clean and deodorize rooms in a completely natural way, without having to resort to chemical products from large retailers. Let's see together how to scent your home with lavender.

Kitchen

For the kitchen, you can make a lavender cleanser Using dish soap and 5 drops of lavender essential oil, this natural cleaner can clean tiles, countertops, and even furniture. As for dishes, before putting them in the dishwasher, wipe them with a cloth soaked in a few drops of lavender essential oil to polish and sanitize them.

Exposed

If you want to thoroughly clean and deodorize your floors, add 10 drops of lavender essential oil in a bucket of boiling water with a glass of white vinegar. Lavender disinfects surfaces and leaves a pleasant, long-lasting fragrance.

Refrigerator

With a homemade lavender cleaner, clean your fridge and then, to deodorize it, put a jar with baking soda and about 3 drops of lavender essential oil, which eliminates all bad odors.

Bathroom

Even sanitary ware can be cleaned with the help of lavender essence Using the same kitchen cleaner, which degreases and deodorizes deeply, is a great way to do this. So, go ahead and use it on tiles, shelves, and cabinets. Adding a few drops of essential oil to the drainpipes or toilet bowl will also have a sanitizing and deodorizing effect. For a long-lasting scent, try adding a few drops of lavender oil to the cardboard of your toilet paper rolls, which will then become aroma diffusers.

Rooms

In the closets, drawers or wherever you want, put some little bags with dried lavender flowers, so that linens and clothes absorb its fragrance. When winter arrives, add a few drops of essential oil to the humidifier trays, which evaporates the water, spreading the lavender scent throughout the room. This aroma relaxes and also promotes a good night's sleep.

rugs

Sprinkle a powder made up of 10 tablespoons of baking soda and 10 drops of lavender essential oilThe powder must penetrate every fiber and be left to act for a few minutes before being vacuumed. The carpets are thus left clean and fragrant.

How to relax with lavender

Lavender helps a lot relaxation of the mind and body, calms the anxieties, has highly tranquilizing properties. Smelling it, therefore, is a source of enormous benefits. Lavender essential oil is used to relax the muscles, calm down the nerves, to alleviate the headache, dissolve contractures, promote the sonno , digestionIn short, lavender can really help you relax, and let's see how.

If you place a handkerchief soaked in lavender oil next to your pillow, or put a few drops on a padded pillow, you will certainly sleep better.
If you want to make a relaxing bathPour a glass of coarse salt and 15 drops of lavender oil into the tub; if you're thinking of a foot bath, use 4 drops of lavender essential oil and 2 tablespoons of coarse salt.
If massages relax you, you can do soothing ones using lavender oil alone or mixed with small amounts of aloe vera gel.
Lavender relieves headaches thanks to its mildly sedative effect. Simply add a teaspoon of lavender flowers to a cup of boiling water and let steep for 10 minutes, then strain the water.

How to make lavender essential oil

If you want to make your own lavender essential oil at home, which you can use to relax or perhaps even relieve your children's minor insomnia, here's how to proceed:

Ingredients

100 ml of vegetable oil
20 drops of lavender essential oil
1 dark glass bottle

Method

Mix in the dark bottle (with hermetic seal), the 100 ml of vegetable oil (sesame, almond or argan) with 5 drops of lavender oil.
With this oil you can calm children if they suffer from insomnia, by rubbing a teaspoon on their chest or placing a handkerchief soaked in this fragrance near them, which will help them rest better.

Controindicazioni

Lavender generally does not have serious side effects. Obviously, things can vary from case to case. For example, in sensitive and allergic individuals, it can cause dermatitis o skin rashesIt is not recommended during pregnancy or breastfeeding. It should also be avoided if you are taking antidepressants, sedatives, or anticoagulants. Lavender is incompatible with iodine and iron salts.

Lavender: properties, uses and varieties