Title Lavender: The Genus Lavandula

Medicinal and Aromatic Plants - Industrial Profiles

Editor
Maria Lis-Balchin
Publisher
CRC Press, 2003
ISBN 0203216520, 9780203216521
Length
296 pages
Subjects
Science Life Sciences Botany
Health & Fitness / Herbal Medications
Medical / Alternative & Complementary Medicine
Medical / Pharmacology
Science / Chemistry / General
Science / Life Sciences / Botany
Lavandula species are mainly grown for their essential oils, which are used in
perfumery, cosmetics, food processing and aromatherapy products, and for
their use as ornamental plants and ingredients in numerous cottage industry
products. Certain types of lavender oil have also been shown to have
antimicrobial and antifungal properties. The dried flowers have been used for
centuries in pillows and sachets to promote sleep and relaxation, and oil of
spike lavender is used as an insect repellent. Lavender: The Genus Lavandula
is a comprehensive volume covering all aspects of our current knowledge of
lavender, including:
* taxonomy, and history of usage and nomenclature
* lavender cultivation for essential oil production and retail purposes in
different countries
* phytochemistry of the genus
* chemistry of Lavandula oils
* theory and practice of distillation and standardization of lavender essential
oils
* pharmacology and therapeutic properties of lavender oil and Lavandula
extracts
* use of lavender oil in aromatherapy, perfumery, cosmetics, food processing
and medicine
* new research into Lavandula species and their oils
With contributions from lavender researchers worldwide, this book will be of
interest both to graduate students and scientists in academia and industry
who are involved with lavender, to professionals in the lavender growing and
retail industry, the perfumery, food and cosmetics industries, and to those
interested in lavender for alternative and conventional medical use.
or
Title Lavender: the genus Lavandula
Volume 29 of Medicinal and aromatic plants - industrial profiles
Volume 29 of Medicinal and aromatic plants
Editor Maria Lis-Balchin
Publisher
Taylor & Francis, 2002
ISBN 0415284864, 9780415284868
Length
268 pages
or

Title Lavender: The Genus Lavandula

Volume 29 of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants - Industrial Profiles, ISSN 10274502
Volume 29 of Medicinal and aromatic plants
Editor Maria Lis-Balchin
Edition
illustrated
Publisher
Taylor & Francis Group, 2002
ISBN 0415284864, 9780415284868
Length
268 pages
Subjects
Science Life Sciences Botany
Nature / Reference
Science / Life Sciences / Botany
____________________________________________________________________
Types of Lavender:
Lavandula angustifolia is the most common type of lavender and it hails
from England It is oftentimes referred to as true lavender. Any true lavender
will have the botanical name of lavandula as the prefix. (There are up to 50
different species, including lavandula officinalis and lavandula vera, yet they
will all be simply lavender). Lavender grows all over the world, including
many parts of the United States and Canada, France, Italy, Bulgaria, Russia,
Croatia, China, and Australia. The reason the true lavandula angustifolia
genus is so popular is due to the low rate of camphor, less than one percent,
it retains after distillation. This lends the essential oil a strong floral aroma,
but it also makes it quite effective in aromatherapy usage, especially in
accelerating the healing of minor burns. Camphor is a chemical constituent
that you dont want near a burn, and other versions of lavender, such as
lavandin, lavenders cousin, which can contain up to 8% camphorare not
effective for soothing delicate skin tissue.
Lavandin (lavandula x intermedia) ~ According to The Illustrated
Encyclopedia of Essential Oils by Julia Lawless, lavandin is: A hybrid plant
developed by crossing true lavender (lavender angustifolia) with spike
lavender or aspic (lavender latifolia). Due to its hybrid nature, lavandin has a
variety of forms: in general it is a larger plant than true lavender, with woody
stems. Its flowers may be blue like true lavender, or grayish like aspic. The
scent of lavandin is also sharper and more penetrating. While the plant grows
in parts of Eastern Europe, Hungary, and Spain, cultivation is mainly in
France.
Spike Lavender (lavandula latifolia) ~ Spike, sometimes referred to as
Spanish lavender, is native to Spain, France, Italy, the Mediterranean region,
and Northern Africa. The bright purple-blue flowers commonly found in true
lavender are often a grayer hue in the spike variety. The essential oil is very
penetrating, more herbal than floral, and retains a higher concentration of
camphor than true lavender.

Lavender 40/42 ~ The lavender is blended with other lavenders to bring the
percentage of linalol to between 40% and 42%. Linalol is an active
component of Lavender that contains therapeutic benefits. Some Lavender
essential oils can contain 40% and 45%.
Finding High Quality Lavender:
The most important things to look for on any glass bottle of lavender
essential oil will be four categories. Naturally, you would expect to see
Lavender on the label. However, here are the four facts that you will find on
any bottle of essential oil from a reputable supplier/company:
1. Botanical/Latin name. If in search of true lavender it would be
Lavandula angustifolia.
2. Part. What part of the plant has the essential oil been extracted from? For
lavender, that is the flowering tops.
3. Method of extraction. Is it an absolute, enfleurage, carbon dioxide
(CO2), or has it been steam distilled? While lavender can be found in CO2
form as its the most expensive, or as an absolute, the most common type is
steam distilled.
4. Country of Origin. As noted, lavender comes from many different
countries. Location can make a sizeable difference for many reasons such as
climate, type of soil, high/low altitude, etc.
Other factors to look for are price, as too low of an amount means it has been
adulterated in some way or is possibly synthetic. Essential oils should be
stored in a glass bottle to protect the contents. Then you must continue to
keep your lavender in the best environment and that would be in a cool, dark
place.
There are 39 species of flowering plants in the mint family,
Lamiaceae:
Lavandula angustifolia (Common or True Lavender, English Lavender)
Lavandula antineae
Lavandula aristibracteata
Lavandula atriplicifolia
Lavandula bipinnata
Lavandula bramwellii
Lavandula buchii
Lavandula canariensis
Lavandula citriodora
Lavandula coronopifolia
Lavandula dentata (French Lavender)
Lavandula dhofarensis
Lavandula erythraeae
Lavandula galgalloensis
Lavandula gibsonii
Lavandula hasikensis
Lavandula lanata (Woolly Lavender)
Lavandula latifolia (Portuguese or Spike Lavender)
Lavandula macra
Lavandula mairei

Lavandula
Lavandula
Lavandula
Lavandula
Lavandula
Lavandula
Lavandula
Lavandula
Lavandula
Lavandula
Lavandula
Lavandula
Lavandula
Lavandula
Lavandula
Lavandula
Lavandula
Lavandula
Lavandula
Lavandula
Lavandula
Lavandula
Lavandula
Lavandula
Lavandula

maroccana
minutolii
multifida (Fernleaf lavender, Egyptian Lavender)
nimmoi
pedunculata
pinnata (Fernleaf Lavender)
pubescens
qishnensis
rejdalii
rotundifolia
saharica
samhanensis
setifera
somaliensis
sublepidota
subnuda
stoechas (Spanish Lavender)
tenuisecta
viridis
x allardii
x chaytorae
x christiana
x ginginsii
x heterophylla
x intermedia (Dutch Lavender)

Lavandula angustifolia :
Compacta
Folgate
Dwarf Blue
Dwarf White
Hidcote Pink
Hidcote Superior
Munstead
Nana Atropurpurea
Nana Rosea
Sarah
Summerland Surpreme
Lady Lavender
Alba (Large White)
Beechwood Blue
Loddon Blue
Richard Gray
Miss Katherine
Sussex
Hidcote
Nana Alba
Wendy Carlile
Imperial Gem
Bowles Early

Martha Roderick
Jean Davis
Twickle Purple
Pink Perfume
Blackhouse Purple
Biostos
Bridestowe
Graves
Gray Lady
Gwendolyn Anley
Hidcote Giant
Irene Doyle
Mailette
Middachten
Melissa
Purple Bouquet
Buena Vista
Bettys Blue
Royal Velvet