Lavender Facts
- Lavender is native to the Mediterranean, Middle East and India
- Lavender is a flowering perennial shrub in the Lamiaceae (mint) family.
- Lavender has over 40 known species and numerous cultivars, which are grown worldwide.
- Lavender is renowned for its fragrance and beauty and has numerous medicinal, culinary and other uses.
- Egyptians used lavender oil for perfume and mummification.
- The Romans used lavender oils for cooking, perfume and bathing – ‘lavender’ originates from the latin verb lavare which means to wash.
- The scent of lavender deters mice, flies, mosquitoes and other pests
- Lavender flowers represent purity, silence, devotion, serenity, grace, and calmness
- During the Great Plague in 17C London lavender bunches were attached to clothing to protect against disease.
- Grave-robbers washed in Four Thieves Vinegar, containing lavender, to prevent disease
- French glove makers in 16C France perfumed gloves with lavender to resist cholera.
- Royalty loves lavender: Elizabeth I ate lavender conserve, and required fresh lavender flowers every day. Charles VI of France demanded lavender-filled pillows wherever he went. Louis XIV bathed in lavender water. Queen Victoria used lavender as a disinfectant, perfume and polish.