Lavender: what it is, how to grow & harvest

Lavender belongs to the genus Lavandula and is an evergreen Mediterranean herb, which is cultivated in sunny, airy areas with alkaline soil and good drainage.

Its flowers are purple and very fragrant. Its stem is fluffy with a height of 30 to 80 cm, while the flowering period beggins in the spring and early summer depending on the climate in which it is grown. Lavender species are too many, with differences that appear in the foliage color, the texture of the leaves and the appearance of the flowers.

Especially beneficial is lavender oil and essential oil, extracted from the flowers, offering many therapeutic and cosmetic applications. A special feature of lavender essential oil is that it can be used directly on the skin, providing relief from irritations, burns, acne, etc.!

The useful parts of the herb are its flowers, which are collected and stored at the end of spring and early summer, during the flowering period, while they can be used for storing clothes, for decoction, infusion, baths and even under the pillow for quiet sleep.

Remember that lavender flowers are good to be cut in order to continue to make new flowers!

Learn more about lavender cosmetic uses, lavender healing properties and more ways to use lavender in everyday life!