Calming and relaxing, lavender's active compounds are well known for their sedative effects on the central nervous system. Nothing compares to an infusion or relaxing bath perfumed with lavender. Grown in full sun, the flowers are used to make a tincture.

_{Photo by @krnel}

The images are of the species that goes by the scientific botanical name of Lavandula angustifolia. It's common names include true lavender or English lavender (although not native to England), common lavender and garden lavender. Other names include Alhucema, French Lavender, Huile Essentielle de Lavande, Lavanda, Lavande, Lavande à Feuilles Étroites, Lavande Anglaise, Lavande Commune, Lavande des Alpes, Lavande du Jardin, Lavande Espagnole, Lavande Fine, Lavande Française, Lavande Officinale, Lavande Vraie, Lavandula, Lavandula angustifolia, Lavandula dentate, Lavandula latifolia, Lavandula officinalis, Lavandula pubescens, Lavandula spica, Lavandula stoechas, Lavandula vera, Lavender Essential Oil, Ostokhoddous, Spanish Lavender, Spike Lavender.

_{Photo by @krnel}

_{JLPC/wikimedia - CC BY-SA 3.0}

Key Points

• popular fragrance and flavoring
• sedative effects to calm and relax
• possible issues with use in pre-puberty boys

History

Lavender originates from the Latin, possibly from lavare, meaning to wash, or livere meaning blueish.

The name angustifolia comes from the Latin for "narrow leaf", which is also a name for the species (narrow leaf lavender). As the "official" or "true" lavender, it used to be called Lavandula officinalis.

Where is it found?

It's not native to North America, and has been reportedly introduced into the wild in some states of the US. But it can be grown in gardens, and is found in many gardens. It's native to the Old World, from Cape Verde, the Canary Islands and across Europe to eastern and northern Africa, the Mediterranean and southwest Asia.

What's it used for?

In the 1600s lavender was introduced in culinary uses. Queen Elizabeth used it in jams, which brought production as a jam. It was also use din teas for its taste and medicinal use.

Leaves are combined with rosemary to flavor dishes. Leaves can also be made into a milder tea compared to the flowers.

Dried lavender buds are stronger than fresh, and give a more soapy taste. They amplify both sweet and savory flavors in dishes. Buds and syrup from lavender are used to make lavender scones and marshmallow.

Leaves, petals, and buds are use across the world in salads, soups and stews. Fresh flowers and essential oils are added to jams, ice cream, vinegars and other foods as a flavoring. The fragrance is used in soaps, cosmetics, perfumes, and potpourri.

It also finds use in gardens or walkways as an ornamental.

The essential oil from flowers can be applied to the skin as an antiseptic to help wounds and burns heal. It's also antispasmodic, aromatic, carminative, cholagogue, diuretic, nervine, sedative, stimulant, stomachic and tonic.

Medicinally, the flower and essential oil are used to treat anxiety, stress, restlessness, insomnia, depression, headache, migraine, canker sores, hair loss and pain such as menstrual pain, labor pain, cancer-related pain and pain after surgery.

Other uses have included itchy or inflamed skin, acne, loss of appetite, nausea, toothache, vomiting, colic, dementia, depression, fatigue, high blood pressure, lice, osteoarthritis, ear infections, restless leg syndrome, and for general psychological well-being.

Are there any risks?

There are some cases where it has a hormone effect that could disrupt the normal hormones in a boy's body that haven't reached puberty. Pregnant women or breast feeding mothers might want to avoid it, but it's not known to be harmful or not. Those who are going under surgery should avoid as it might slow down the central nervous system too much when combined with anesthesia.

Combining with sedative medication should be avoided as it can cause excessive drowsiness and sleepiness. Some sedative medications include amobarbital (Amytal), butabarbital (Butisol), mephobarbital (Mebaral), pentobarbital (Nembutal), phenobarbital (Luminal), secobarbital (Seconal), clonazepam (Klonopin), lorazepam (Ativan), phenobarbital (Donnatal), zolpidem (Ambien), and others.

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References:

• Lavandula
• Lavandula angustifolia
• Lavandula angustifolia - Mill.
• LAVENDER

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Previous posts on Getting to Know Herbs:
Yarrow | Marshmallow | Skullcap | Codonopsis (Poor Man's Ginseng) | Schisandra | Rhodiola | Canadian Goldenrod | German Chamomile | Blue Vervain | Blessed or Holy Thistle | Common Horehound | Cayenne | Ashwagandha | Gotu Kola | Common Verbana/Vervain | Holy Basil | Sweet Annie | Globe Artichoke | Butterfly Weed / Pleurisy Root | Joe-Pye Weed / Gravel Root | Valerian | Malva/Mallow | Boneset | Elecampane | Lungwort | Cramp Bark | Motherwort | Common Plantain | Eleuthero (Siberian ginseng) | Black Cohosh | Common Bearberry | Mahonia Mountain Grape (Oregon Grape) | Blue Cohosh | Goldenseal

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