Lavender is for more than just the underwear drawer
The English lavender, Lavandula angustifolia (but may be labeled Lavandula officinalis, L. vera or L. spica), usually just called lavender, is a popular plant in English gardens, often planted near paths so as to give off its heady scent when it brushes against visitors as they pass by. There are many varieties, some of which have been bred as dwarfs, such as the Hidcote varieties. It is a tough, hardy perennial, which will cope with drought, salt winds and even alkaline or saline soil with good drainage, so long as it is not in the shade.
The French lavender, Lavandula stoechas is closely related but although it can be used for the same purposes, it is much weaker and of lower quality, from the medicinal viewpoint. Neither the French nor the English lavender are related to the cotton lavender, Santolina chamaecyparissus.
Most people are familiar with lavender, and may even have made lavender bags in nursery school as a gift for Mother’s Day. These make a welcome gift, and add a pleasant scent to underwear if placed in the drawer where it is kept – I have one made by my daughter some 15 or so years ago, still faintly scented with lavender.
Although it is well known as a very gentle herb, it is not suitable for use by pregnant women, as large doses may induce contractions – although it is fine once labor has begun, of course.
Make a standard infusion from about 3 handfuls of flowering sprigs to 570ml (2½ US cups, 1 UK pint) of boiling water. Leave to stand for at least 10 minutes and strain before use. This can be used at a dose of 150-225ml a day (2 or 3 doses a day of 1/3 US cup or 3 fl oz each) to treat anxiety/depression and indigestion, and also as a mouthwash or gargle for halitosis. It can also be used as a wash for muscle pain, bites and sores, and as a douche for vaginal discharge.
The essential oil is often used externally to treat headache by rubbing a couple of drops into the temples. Either the herb or the oil can be added to bathwater to treat depression and insomnia.
To ensure that the active ingredients are not adulterated by foreign chemicals, it is essential that lavender intended for medicinal use is grown organically. To find out more about growing organic lavender visit the Gardenzone.
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January 19th, 2009 at 13:48
[...] Cotton Lavender, Santolina chamaecyparissus (sometimes labeled Santolina incana) is also known as Santolina. It’s usually grown as an ornamental, or for use as an everlasting, and even sometimes as a low hedge. Cotton Lavender is a hardy perennial which reaches a height of 1m (3′) by 60cm (2′). It is not related to lavender. [...]