Lavender
Lavandula spp.
Flavor Profile and Uses
Harvesting Instructions
- Highly distinct, flowery flavor favored in baking and perfumes as well as medicinal preparations
- A powerful nervine that can help relieve anxiety and restore an overall sense of well-being
- The essential oil is safe to use directly on the skin (though it can be added to a carrier oil for those with sensitive skin) and is used as aroma therapy to help relieve tension headaches and insomnia
- Essential oil can also be used directly on insect bites and stings to reduce inflammation and pain
- A favorite herb amongst soap-makers due to its antimicrobial properties
- A short, bushy shrub with rough woody branches growing 2 – 3 ft tall
- Depending on the variety, leaves can be broad or narrow, but most will be lance shape, grayish-blue, and growing directly off the stem
- Fragrant flowers consist of whorls of bright purple flowers that are small and spiky at the top of the stalk and grow on slender stalks that reach above their leaves
- Can be found in well-drained, sandy soil in full sun in most temperate zones
Harvesting Instructions
- Good blooms are produced after the second season and should be harvested for medicinal purposed when the buds are newly opened
- If growing for essential oil extraction, wait till the buds are fully open
- In northern NE, harvest begins at the end of July or early August
- Use a sharp knife to cut off the flowering stalks a couple of inches above the leaves
- Dry in bundles upside down in an area protected from the elements with good airflow
- When plants begin to crumble easily, remove foliage and flowers from stems and store in an airtight container (preferably with paper or desiccation packets added to absorb moisture and prevent molding over time)
Carpenter, Jeff, and Carpenter, Melanie. The Organic Medicinal Herb Farmer. Chelsea Green Publishing, 2015.