Lovely Lavandula

Different species of lavender vary in terms of botanical classification, aroma, and uses.

Species: Lavandula spica L.; Lavandula angustifolia L.
Order: Lamiales
Family: Lamiaceae
Genus: Lavandula

Practically dripping with essential oils and offering generous fragrance, lavender is a favourite amongst gardeners. It’s extremely hardy, flowers abundantly, attracts bees, and makes a wonderful hedge. But there is more to lavender than meets the eye.

For many years, I associated lavender with the pot-pourri my lovely Ouma kept in little ornamental porcelain jars. It wasn't until I studied its properties and started blending lavender into teas and herbal products, that I shifted my regard for this abundant yet not-to-be-overlooked plant.

Hildegard von Bingen, a pioneer in medical practices during the High Middle Ages, prescribed Lavender Wine for liver pain and swelling. She recommended using Lavandula spica leaves and blossoms - gently heated in wine and consumed frequently to clear the mind, eliminate excessive moisture from the lungs, and to reduce liver pain. 

Deciphering different Lavender species

Different species of lavender vary in terms of botanical classification, aroma, and uses.

Lavandula officinalis a.k.a. Lavandula angustifolia is the “True Lavender”, or English Lavender.

It has narrow leaves and short spikes of purple-blue flowers with a sweet, floral, and calming scent. Angustifolia is high in linalool and linalyl acetate, which contribute to its soothing and relaxing properties. Widely used in aromatherapy for relaxation, sleep aid, and stress relief, it is also popular in skincare due to its gentle nature.

English lavender prefers cooler climates and is more frost-resistant compared to other species.

Lavandula spica a.k.a Lavandula latifolia is commonly called Spike Lavender (the species Hildegard von Bingen uses in her lavender wine).

It has broader leaves and longer flower spikes compared to L. officinalis/angustifolia, and a stronger, more camphorous scent due to a higher concentration of cineole and camphor. These essential oils give it stimulating and decongestant properties.

L. spica is often used for respiratory issues such as clearing sinuses, as well as for muscle pain relief, and as a natural insect repellent. It’s less commonly used for relaxation due to its more stimulating scent.

Found in drier climates, L. spica tolerates hotter conditions and is less frost-resistant.

French Lavender or Fringed Lavender is the species Lavandula dentata.

It has serrated (toothed) leaves, hence the name "dentata," and delicate purple flower spikes with a mild, slightly camphorous scent.

Less sweet compared to Lavandula angustifolia, the French variation has a more herbal and slightly spicy fragrance.

It’s often used in potpourri, decorative gardens, and sometimes in culinary applications, though it is less common in aromatherapy.

L. dentata thrives in warmer climates and is more heat-tolerant than some other lavender species.

Cheat sheet of common lavender uses: 

ear ache, wounds, burns, sunburn, muscle aches, sleep aid

Properties: antimicrobial, antiseptic, restlessness, anxiety, sedative, spasmolytic

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Posch, H. (1983). Was ist Hildegard-Medizin? Georgen. Druckerei Hitzen.

van Wyk, B. & Wink, M. (2004). Medicinal Plants of the World: An illustrated scientific guide to important medicinal plants and their uses. Pretoria. Briza.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hildegard_of_Bingen. Retrieved on 2 April 2024.