Lavender is an endemic aromatic plant from the Mediterranean region that grows in dry meadows and bushes.
Its name comes from the Latin lavandere, alluding to its cleansing properties. The most used by herbalists, especially against insomnia and bloating, is organic lavender (Lavandula angustifolia officinalis), a woody bush with elongated and narrow leaves, grayish and very fragrant.
The lavender flower is blue, and is gathered in dense spikes. It blooms in the beginning of the summer, and the flowering tops and leaves are harvested for medicinal purposes. Lavender dentata is very popular for growing in pots due to its great resistance and decorative capacity.
Dried lavender flower bouquets have been used since ancient times to perfume clothes and rooms, and lavender essential oil, in baths and massages, as it is still the case today.
What is lavender used for?
- We can use dried lavender in infusions, or find it in liquid extracts, dye, and capsules. Lavender is often used to promote sleep: it is very useful to calm nerves, panic attacks and insomnia.
- Lavender is very suitable to aid the expulsion of gasses and combat abdominal swelling, alongside off-flavor in the mouth.
- Dried lavender bouquets are also used to scent rooms and to repel insects on summer afternoons.
