All About Lavender

Culinary, aromatic and medicinal herbs have been used by human beings since the dawn of recorded history. In an earlier radio program, we described the long tradition of using the culinary herb basil to add a distinctive flavor to a wide variety of dishes. Today we will explore a second herb, lavender, that has a very long association with people.

If you received for Christmas some soap, powder, lotion, bath oil, or perfume based on the delightful fragrance of lavender, you may not realize that its enchanting scent originated in the blossom of an evergreen, aromatic shrub probably grown either in England or the Provence region of France. A carefully controlled process extracts the essential oils from lavender flowers to produce the bath and cosmetic products that delight men and women the world over. These complex oils, composed of 180 different organic constituents, form the grace notes for this familiar fragrance. Astonishingly, it takes 80 pounds of lavender blossoms to produce one ounce of essential oil! Little wonder lavender products are precious!

Lavender has been treasured for centuries. The waters in the public baths of ancient Rome were scented with lavender, and it was carried by the Roman legions in their travels. It was widely used as a disinfectant, a practice carried over through medieval times to today. Indeed, during the great plagues of London in the 17th Century, people were advised to wear lavender on each wrist to ward off the disease. And, earlier in the 16th Century, glove makers, who routinely perfumed their wares with lavender, notably escaped contracting the cholera epidemics so widespread at the time.

The Egyptians, Phoenicians, and people of Arabia used lavender in the mummification process, and for perfumes for the living. It spread throughout the world, primarily through Rome and North Africa, until it is now grown in virtually every country with a climate conducive to its cultivation. Known for over 2,500 years, lavender was first named by the Romans after the Latin word "lavare," which means "to wash." So widespread was the association between this herb and washing, that women in olden days who washed clothes for a living were known as "lavenders." References to the use of the precious oil of lavender can be found in the Bible, under its ancient name of "spikenard" - or simply, "nard."

There are 28 different species of lavender, roughly divided between two large groups, the hardy lavenders and the tender lavenders. Hardy lavenders, also known as English lavender, are, as the name implies, easier to grow in areas where winters are cold, thriving, with proper mulching, in areas as cold as Zone 4. On the other hand, tender lavenders, also known as French lavender, do not survive the cold winters typical of Virginia, and must be treated as an annual (planted anew every spring) or brought indoors in a pot for the winter. As a perennial, therefore, English lavender is best suited for our area, particularly if situated in a protected area on the south side of a house or wall.

Some familiar examples of English lavender are the varieties "mustead," "folgate blue," and "hidcote purple." These Mediterranean natives characteristically have green new-growth foliage which turns gray with maturity, and spike flowers, usually purple to blue in color. The leaves are narrower than those of French lavender plants. English lavender typically blooms once a season after the plant is two years old. Most of the oils used in the perfume industry come from English lavender varieties.

French lavender, a native of Spain and southern France, sports bright bracts (colored leaves) on top of their flower head spikes. Their leaves are more green than gray and, in temperate areas free of frost, will grow into impressive bushes 3-4 feet tall. Oils from French lavenders are more commonly used in soaps and other products designed to clean and disinfect. Intermediate forms of lavender, called "lavendins," are available for purchase from nurseries. These forms are created by crossing two different species and may be marked "Lavandula x intermedia" on the tag. Often quite hardy, lavendin bushes exhibit intermediate characteristics between those of its parents, and are extremely satisfying to grow. Dutch lavender is a common lavendin found in this area.

Lavender can be grown from seed, cuttings, or layering. From seed, tender lavender is more successful than hardy lavender, but they both root well when new growth is taken from plants that are 2-3 years old, treated with Rootone, and placed in a damp potting medium. Also, both will produce new plants if an area of a stem is stripped of its leaves, treated with Rootone, and pinned to the ground for a period of time. If you want to try growing some lavender from seed, choose a flat with a potting mixture that has good drainage, sift some fine builders’ sand over it, and scatter the seed evenly but not thickly on the surface. Water with a fine spray after covering with a thin layer of potting soil, and place the flat in a plastic bag to make a little greenhouse for germination. Expect French lavender seeds to sprout in about two weeks; English lavender takes a bit longer. When sprouted, remove from the plastic, place in an area with abundant sunshine (or under fluorescent lights) and keep warm at about 70 degrees. Keep moist, but not wet, watering from the bottom. Do not, however, let the flat stand in water for a prolonged period of time.

Once the first true leaves have developed, use soluble plant food at 1/4 the labeled strength. Transplant to individual containers when 4 true leaves have developed. When transplanting, always handle seedlings by the leaves, never by the stems! Seedlings can grow new leaves in case of accident, but they cannot grow a new stem. After transplanting, water with soluble plant food at ½ the label strength once a week. Before transplanting into the ground in the spring, harden the young plants off a week by gradually increasing the amount of time they are outdoors each day. Transplant in the yard only after all danger of frost is gone.

Lavender bushes require at least 6 hours of sun a day, and very well drained soil that is rich in compost. These young bushes need lots of humus in a moderately alkaline soil slightly over pH 7. Therefore supplementing a handful of lime once a year around the maturing shrub is highly recommended.

To harvest lavender, pick the fragrant blossoms early in the morning, just after the dew has dried. Ideal conditions for harvesting are cool, sunny, dry mornings - these conditions preserve the maximum amount of fragrant oils. Spikes should be cut as soon as most of the flowers in the head are open but before fading has occurred. Cut the stems where they meet the leaves, tie in bundles and put them in a large brown paper bag for drying. Don’t let the flowers touch the paper. Hang in a dry, airy place out of direct sunlight. Once the blossoms are harvested, they can be used in potpourri to scent a room, made into wreaths or lavender wands, or even used in cooking. Recipes for delicious lavender honey, sugars, cookies, and jelly can be found in any standard herb cooking book.

Try establishing a lavender bush in your yard. You will be rewarded with unbelievable fragrance for years to come!

Written by members of the Heart of Virginia Master Gardeners

posted 3/1/07