Lavender
Botanical Information
Lavandula (common name lavender) is a genus of 47 known species of flowering plants in the mint family, Lamiaceae. It is native to the Old World and is found from Cape Verde and the Canary Islands, Europe across to northern and eastern Africa, the Mediterranean, southwest Asia to southeast India.
Many members of the genus are cultivated extensively in temperate climates as ornamental plants for garden and landscape use, for use as culinary herbs, and also commercially for the extraction of essential oils. The most widely cultivated species, Lavandula angustifolia, is often referred to as lavender, and there is a color named for the shade of the flowers of this species. Despite its use over centuries in traditional medicine and cosmetics, there is no high-quality clinical evidence that lavender has any effects on diseases or improves health.
The genus includes annual or short-lived herbaceous perennial plants, and shrub-like perennials, subshrubs or small shrubs.
Leaf shape is diverse across the genus. They are simple in some commonly cultivated species; in other species they are pinnately toothed, or pinnate, sometimes multiple pinnate and dissected. In most species the leaves are covered in fine hairs or indumentum, which normally contain the essential oils.
Flowers are borne in whorls, held on spikes rising above the foliage, the spikes being branched in some species. Some species produce coloured bracts at the apices. The flowers may be blue, violet or lilac in the wild species, occasionally blackish purple or yellowish. The calyx is tubular. The corolla is also tubular, usually with five lobes (the upper lip often cleft, and the lower lip has two clefts).
Composition
It contains essential oil with organic acids and substances such as glycosides, alkaloids and tannins. By distilling this essential oil, lavender essence (lavender oil) is obtained.
Collection and Storage
Flowers used as drogs should be collected in July - August while they are still in bud. The flowers collected with their stems are tied in bunches and hanged in a shade to dry. After drying thoroughly, the flowers are crumbled from the stem.
Places of Use
Lavender essence (lavender oil) is used as an important raw material in the perfumery industry. In addition, the dried lavender flowers in small pouches give a very pleasant scent to the clothes that are placed between them. Those who have insomnia should try using pillows containing lavender.
Benefits of Lavender Oil
When you apply lavender oil diluted with a carrier oil to your face with the help of a cotton ball, it cleans the skin with acne.
If it is applied to the aching area and light massages are done by hand, it is relieving the pain of rheumatism, sprains and fractures.
It is an effective remedy for stress-related headaches.
It is an effective sedative in cases of extreme nervousness and stress.
It removes insomnia.
It suppresses the vomiting reflex.
Usage
Tea: Tea is obtained by taking 1 teaspoon of dried shoots and flowers, pouring 1 glass of boiling water over it and infusing it for 10-15 minutes. One glass of this tea is drunk three times a day.
Bath: 60-70 g of lavender flowers are added to 2-3 liters of water, heated to boiling, infused for 10-15 minutes, filtered and added to bath water. Bath time is 15-20 minutes. These baths especially relax people with low blood pressure and revitalize them. Frustrated people find a balancing relief.