Lavender: Smell, benefits, uses (Unknown Lavender facts)

The vernal sun shines softly upon the floral land, its sweet aroma fills the air with ease and comfort. You stroll across this lavender field as the tiny flowers caress your skin and heal you from within. Such is its charm that the lavender plant has been musing for many great writers for time unknown. 

We all relate this spiritual plant with goodness, grace, comfort, calmness, serenity, devotion, and all that is dream-like. However, rarely do we hold the wisdom about this potent and enchanting plant. 

Although Lavender makes up a great posy, it has many uses that were not known to people for a long time. But we do now. This article will celebrate the wonders of the lavender plant, its history, types, uses, and benefits, and sprinkle it with a few unknown and interesting facts. 

Peeking into the Past of Lavender – History and Origin

Back in the past, hidden from human curiosity, lavenders used to grow gracefully in the wild. People would simply pass by them, cherishing their sweet aroma and soothing sight, without considering them for any use. But around 2,500 years ago things changed, and for good. Lavender was first brought into use by humans at this time.  

Lavender is scientifically known as ‘Lavendula”

The lavender plant is thought to be native to the Middle East, the Mediterranean region, and India. Like any other plant, lavender’s early uses were limited to medicinal purposes. The Greeks and Romans used it for its medicinal and therapeutic properties. However, its inclusion in the funeral has also been traced back to Egyptian times, around 3,345 years ago, when it was used in mummification because of its embalming properties. The tomb of Tutankhamun, an Egyptian Pharaoh, was found to have traces of lavender. 

Unknown Lavender Fact – 1
‘Lavender’ is coined from Latin ‘Lividus’, which is thought to be associated with the French ‘Lavande’ and Italian ‘Lavanda,’ both standing for ‘washing’ as it was probably used to scent the washed clothes.

When Romans occupied the English land, Lavender found its way too. It was then used to scent clothing and linens. It took humans nearly 2,000 years to start cultivating it on a large scale. Since the 16^th century, Lavender has also been used in scents, soaps, and other fragrances. But what floral notes do these tiny yet graceful flowers emit?

Floral Notes of Lavender

Although different varieties of lavender emit different floral notes, all these notes feel sweet, fresh, floral, woodsy,  and slightly herbaceous. All these notes calm the brutish nerves and relieve anxiety.

If you want to understand the notes of lavender through other flowers, it smells somewhat like lilac or rosemary, especially Spanish lavender. It is this aromatic yet healing side of lavender that makes it a great addition to cookery. However, lavender has many varieties that serve different purposes. 

How Many Varieties of Lavender Are There?

They say beauty doesn’t restrict itself to a single shade, and so is for the plant Lavender. Enter the British land and you might find the flowers there to be unlike the Spanish ones. 

The Lavender plant has many varieties that differ from each other in terms of shape, smell, colour, etc. Let’s perceive some of the many varieties of this beauty:

Unknown Lavender Fact – 2
There are over 450 different varieties of lavender, each with its own unique scent and appearance.

These wide varieties of lavender are used widely around the world in different ways and forms for their healing properties. Let’s learn about the medicinal side of this potent plant.

What Are the Health Benefits of Lavender?

When humans first mused lavender, it was to seek health benefits from this potent plant. And lo, there stood the plant true to its promises. So far, numerous medicinal properties have been discovered from this plant. Let’s look at a few health benefits of Lavender.

1. The calming Lavender

The ancient world was rich in aromatherapy. Among the many plants that were used, lavender healed us more than others. Its sweet aromatic charm has been used for ages to relieve anxiety, stress, and even mild insomnia. 

When you inhale the soothing scent of lavender , it stimulates the olfactory nerves and sends a feel-good signal to the limbic system. This regulates our emotions and induces a sense of calm.

How Lavender Helps you sleep?

Lavender helps to calm the brain down and reduces brain activity. It reduces anger, agitation, aggression and restlessness which helps your body to drift off to sleep swiftly. 

2. The Sedative Lavender

The molecules in lavender oil hold a sedative property. The main components are linalool and linalyl acetate, which are pleasant to the Central Nervous System. When inhaled or drank in tea, it sedates the CNS and thus relieves pain in the body. What more? If you feel troubled with headaches, menstrual cramps, soreness, etc., a sweet cup of this aromatic herb might bring you some ease.

3. The Antimicrobial Lavender

When our ancestors suffered from an infection, they had no Penicillin, Ampicillin, or other allopathic means available to them. All they had was the healing nature around them. Among the many healing herbs, lavender was also considered to have antimicrobial properties. 

Unknown Lavender Fact – 3
During London’s Great Plague in the 17^th century, people used to carry lavenders in their pockets as they believed that it could save them from the daunting disease.

In scientific studies, lavender, especially English lavender, has been found to be active against certain classes of bacteria. There were even certain bacteria that had formed a resistance against antibiotics like MRSA and VRE, which bowed before the medicinal properties of lavender oil.

4. The Anti-inflammatory Lavender

For ages, this graceful herb has been used as a folk medicine for its anti-inflammatory properties. When inhaled, it helps create an anti-inflammatory response. It is this very property that makes it a potent herb for ailments like –

• Rheumatism
• Arthritis, 
• Muscle pain, 
• Acne, 
• Eczema, 
• Skin inflammation, etc.

However, lavender’s anti-inflammatory response depends upon the amount and ratio of active compounds present in the oil. This amount varies widely due to the difference in time of picking flowers during their age.

5. The Antifungal Lavender

Humans have always walked the wildest terrains and the dirtiest ditches possible. This adventure-seeking keeps us vulnerable to fungal infections. Lavender herb helps deal with these fungal infections.  It has proven to be effective against C. albicans strains. Which means it is potent to reduce the fungal progression and spread of infection. 

6. The Antihypertensive Lavender

In one study, lavender proved to be effective in bringing down high blood pressure. Higher cortisol levels in our bodies are associated with higher stress levels and blood pressure. The calming compounds in the lavender oil relieve mood and bring down emotional turmoil. Consequently, the blood pressure comes down and the bliss leaps up. 

Unknown Lavender Fact – 4
Lavender was a popular ingredient in perfumes during the Victorian era, and Queen Victoria herself was said to be a fan of lavender scents.

No wonder lavender is called the ‘herb of grace’ because of its many medicinal properties. But something godlike is not truly like a god, if we are able to conclude its potency in just a few sentences. When we call lavender a graceful herb, it is because it also helps in areas other than medicine; take its culinary aspect for example.

7. The Wound-healing Lavender

For centuries, lavender has been a part of wars due to its wound-healing properties. The active compounds in topical lavender help accelerate the healing of wounds through collagen synthesis.  Not only this, it shrinks the wound through tissue remodelling. Its sedative properties also help reduce the pain and inflammation in and around the wound.

8. The Digestive Lavender

Lavender oil also induces the release of digestive juices and thus aids digestion issues. Its anti-microbial property also reduces any bacterial infection in the gut region by reducing the growth of bad bacteria. And if you suffer from flatulence, you may consider lavender to save you from the ailment and embarrassment. 

Lavender: The Secret Ingredient in Delicious Kitchens

With its enchanting scent, lavender is not typical in savoury dishes. However, little do people know that this mystical herb can add a spellbinding taste and aroma to certain desserts and drinks. It is the scented side of lavender that has tempted the culinary hands. Over time, this magical herb entered Spanish, Italian, French, and English cuisine, thereby creating rich and distinct flavours.

With a few magical touches, the flowers transform into sweet lavender sugar for sprinkling on top of cakes and cookies. Or you can add it to milk or cream, perfect for adding a bewitching flavour to ice creams, custards, or hot chocolate. And if that’s not enough, lavender has one more trick up its sleeve – a simple syrup that will enchant your cocktails, lemonades, or other beverages with its floral twist. 

Each part of lavender – be it the stem, leaves, or the flower itself – is used in cookery, either dried or fresh. It adds a floral, woodsy, herbaceous, and mild peppery flavour to the dishes. But before its addition to that lemonade, you must prepare it well; and to prepare it well, you need the culinary wisdom around it. 

What Are the Different Ways to Use Lavender?

There are many ways you can use this magical herb. Here are a few to consider:

• Aromatherapy
• Culinary uses
• Medicinal purpose
• Personal care in the form of face oil ( mixed with a carrier oil)
• Personal care products like perfumes, soaps, incense sticks, diffusers and humidifiers, room fresheners, lotions, etc.
• Insect repellant.

Unknown Fact – 5
Lavender is part of the mint family and is related to rosemary, sage, and thyme.

How To Cook with Lavender? Tips From An Expert’s Bowl

Although lavender is popular for infusing food with magic, you may easily go wrong while using it. When it comes to cooking, the ingredients are as important as the expertise of the cook. Here are a few tips on how to use lavender skilfully in your kitchen:

• Always use culinary-grade lavender which is free from pesticides, and insecticides, and is organic.
• Use it as if you are using a diamond. Lavender has a strong and pungent flavour that can overpower other flavours and ruin your dish if used freely. Use it sparingly; start with a smaller amount; add if required.
• Blend lavender with complementary flavours like lemon, honey, vanilla, berries, etc. You may use it to add subtle notes to the dishes and make them more flavoursome.
• Enhance beverages with slight lavender notes. For example, you may make lavender-flavoured cream, milk, lemonade, etc., with its liquid. Simply heat up the liquid, steep a few buds for 10-20 minutes, strain, and drink.
• Use lavender to garnish salads, fruit tarts, cheese plates, etc., to infuse them with sweet and peppery notes.
• Make lavender sugar to use later to infuse your dishes with. Simply blend dried flavours with the granulated sugar and there you have your easy-peasy ingredient.
• Keep the experimentation alive to keep the culinary art alive. Lavender is not only good for sweet dishes but also in tooth-smacking spicy meats and veggies. Don’t limit yourself to fear; go inside the kitchen and know lavender like none did before.
• The stems have a bitter taste, which can really hurt your eating experience. The different parts of lavender serve different purposes:
  • Stem: These contain oil and you can use them as potpourri after drying. You may also use them as insect-repellent. Also, you can use these for arts, crafts, and decor.
  • Leaves: Lavender leaves have a mild flavour than flowers. These add earthy and subtle flavours to dishes like salads, soups, stews, etc. Apart from it, leaves of lavender make for an amazing soothing tea.
  • Buds and flowers: These add floral notes to cooking. Also, the use of buds and flowers is common in aromatherapy, as medicines, and as insect repellents. 

Recipes with Lavender that you can try

Lavender Lemonade

Ingredients needed: Water, Sugar, Honey, Lemon Juice, and Dried Lavender.

Recipe: 

• Mix sugar and a small amount of water and heat it up
• Steep in lavender and honey for a few minutes
• Strain the mixture
• Mix lemon juice, strained lavender mix, and cold water
• Add ice and mix to adjust the coolness and lavender’s flavour
• Garnish with food colour and lemon slices (optional).

Lavender Cookies 

Ingredients: Eggs, Sugar, Butter, Baking Powder, Salt, Lavender Buds Extract, and Flour.

Recipe:

• Mix eggs, sugar, lavender, and butter in a blender
• Blend until lavender pieces are broken into smithereens
• Mix dry ingredients with this blended mixture
• Drop the mixed dough on the baking tray
• Now bake the mix for 10-15 minutes at 180°C temperature; wait for the edges to be golden brown
• Mix 1 cup sugar with ½ teaspoon lavender extract and 2-4 tablespoon water to prepare frosting mix
• Spread the mix onto the cookies, garnish with lavender extract, and serve. 

Unknown Fact – 6
During World War I, lavender oil was used to disinfect hospitals and treat soldiers’ wounds.

What’s the Best Way to Select and Store Lavender?

While using lavender is one thing, picking up the right plant and storing it is vital too. This ensures that the dishes you cook make you and others sigh in bliss; also, it will be more effective in the areas you use it for.

Best Way to Select Lavender

• Pick flowers that are fresh, vibrant, and with deep colour and a strong aroma.
• Go for the organically grown flowers.
• Pick the stems just before the flowers are about to open.
• Harvest the flowers during the morning time to pick them fresh.
• Pick only when half the plants have buds on them.
• In the case of lavender oil, buy it from a certified supplier who offers organic products.

Best Ways to Store Lavender

• Use zip-locker bags or air-tight containers to store dried lavender.
• Keep the bag or container in a cool place away from direct sunlight.
• airtight glass containers work best.
• Keep your lavender away from humidity. 
• Essential oils are best stored in dark away from sunlight. Use a dark-coloured glass bottle to store your lavender oil, wrap in paper and store it in a cool dark place. 

Doing these things will keep your lavenders preserving their fragrance and flavour for a long time.

Preparing Lavender for Cooking and Other Purposes

Lavender is either used fresh or dry, before adding to dishes and enhance their flavours. When it comes to drying lavender, there are usually 4 ways to dry it down:

• Flat Drying: This method involves air drying. Simply leave the parts of lavender on a piece of paper or tray and let it dry in the air.
• Hang Drying: Simply tie bunches of lavenders together and hang them on something to let them dry off.
• Oven Drying: If you are in a hurry, open that oven and place a few lavender parts inside it; let the oven do its work for 10-15 minutes at 100° temperature.
• Dehydrating: Use a food dehydrator.
• Sun dry: If you live in a clean environment with good AQI, you may simply leave your lavenders in the open air and sun without worrying about dust and pollution.

Apart from it, the oil extracted from lavender is used as an essential oil which is then used in aromatherapy, healing, cooking, skincare, medicine, etc. The oil is extracted through steam distillation, which is a complex process that asks for expertise.

The enchanting spell of this plant inspires many to grow it in their own backyards. So, let’s learn a few things about how to grow and care about this lovely plant.

How to Grow And Care For Lavender?

Lavender is a resilient plant and can withstand varieties of temperatures. It grows in a variety of climates and is a relatively easy plant to care for, making it a popular choice for home gardeners. So, let’s first learn about the necessary conditions for growing lavender.

1. Necessary Conditions for Growing Lavender

These conditions are ideal for lavender, however, this plant can grow in any climate. 

Unknown Fact – 7
The scent of lavender is said to be a natural aphrodisiac and can help improve libido.

2. Tips for Planting and Caring for Lavender

Although growing lavender is easy, having a few tips and tricks in your tool chest can help you make this plant thrive into a giant and lush beauty. Here are a few:

• Try to introduce organic farming into practice. Amend soil with organic matter by mixing in compost or well-rotted manure to improve soil fertility and drainage.
• Make sure the soil provides good drainage.
• Provide at least 6 hours of complete sunshine.
• Don’t over-fertilize the soil as it can shoot the plant’s growth without giving it enough time to thicken itself. This can make the plant leggy and bow. 
• Try planting or pruning near early spring. At this time the growth hormones in plants stay active.
• Using a low-nitrogen fertilizer, such as a 5-10-10 blend, can enhance the plant’s growth.
• If you live in a drier climate with rainfall below 18-20 inches a year, mulching is recommended. It helps in retaining moisture and suppressing weed growth. Mulching is also helpful for extremely cold climates.
• Keep monitoring for pests and diseases regularly. Try tackling these using natural means and avoid the use of pesticides or insecticides.
• Don’t over-prune. The ideal pruning is 1/3^rd to 2/3^rd. 
• Choose the right variety according to your needs. 
• Remove spent blooms to encourage the growth of new flowers.

3. Common Issues While Growing Lavender and the Solutions

Despite the best possible efforts, the lavender might hurt your farming motivation. There might be days when you might question your very wisdom on gardening. It is alright. Thus, here are a few problems and their solutions:

Unknown Fact – 8
The colour lavender is named after the plant and not the other way around.

Side Effects and precautions of Lavender

Any elixir can work like poison if misused. The same stands true when we talk about lavender. Although this magical herb is safe, non-toxic, and useful in numerous areas, you must keep a few things in mind to stay safe. Here are a few precautions to take regarding lavender to keep its side effects away:

• Do the patch test before using lavender over your body to learn about any possible allergies or reactions.
• Lavender oil is strong and should always be diluted before use.
• Never consume lavender orally in large amounts.
• Consume with caution during pregnancy; consult the doctor first.
• Be wary of it if you are on medication as it may react with other medicines. 
• Use only lavender approved for eating.

Is Lavender Toxic For Dogs And Cats?

When you diffuse lavender aroma it has a calming effect on dogs and cats. However, both dogs and Cats are more sensitive to Lavender smell than humans. 

It can also cause severe Gastrointestinal issues, and liver damage when consumed in high quantities. 

Conclusion

During its millions of years of evolution and over 2,500 years of human-related history, Lavender has grown miles beyond being a shrub alone. While its medicinal and therapeutic properties make it a potent herb that humans have been using for hundreds of years to heal and get healed. Its aromatic dimension infuses our lives with sweetness and serenity.

And if you think this is all, then know that this magical herb also serves as an insecticide, fungicide, décor item, culinary ingredient, and an excellent addition to the sweet posies. 

These enchanting flowers heighten the spiritual dimension of a person. Across many cultures, lavenders symbolize serenity, calmness, love, devotion, loyalty, purity, cleanliness, healing, and other pleasant emotions. So, the next time you come across these sweet and gentle flowers, embrace their sheer beauty, revere their purity, and rejoice in the majesty of mother nature. 

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