By Randy Kipling, Kipling Lavender
Lavender oil, or lavender flower oil, is obtained by distillation of the flowers and is used mainly in fine perfumes and cosmetics. It is a colorless or yellow liquid. Lavender water (hydrosol), a solution of the essential oil in alcohol with other added scents, is used in a variety of lavender products including linen spray and bug spray. Lavender is also used to enhance beverages and sweets and has a number of applications in herbal medicine including:
- Calming effect
- Lowers Anxiety
- Induces Sleep
- Improves memory
- Pain relief
- Antiseptic
- Insecticide
- Improves overall skin health (anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, anti-fungal and wound healing).
The chemicals of a lavender plant at work are polyphenols, flavonoids, and volatile aromatics. Lavender oil terpines include Cineol and Camphor. Lavender is one of the safest plants for general use and it’s essential oil has very low toxicity. Lavender is approved by the European Medicines Agency as a plant medicine to relieve symptoms of stress and anxiety.
Lavenders are small evergreen shrubs with gray-green hoary linear leaves. The purple flowers are sparsely arranged on spikes at the tips of long bare stalks and produce small nutlet fruits. The fragrance of the plant is caused by shining oil glands imbedded among tiny star-shaped trichomes (plant hairs) that cover the flowers, leaves, and stems. The plants in cultivation do not usually produce seed, and propagation is accomplished by cuttings or by dividing the roots. English Lavender (Lavandula angustifolia), French Lavender (L. stoechas), and woolly lavender (L. lanata) are among the most widely cultivated species.
Within the last decade many lavender farms have sprouted across the U.S. spurring much interest by those seeking health benefits using holistic medicine as a viable alternative to conventional medicines. The popularity of Lavender in the U.S. has spawned the formation of the USLGA (United States Lavender Growers Association) and several regional Lavender growers groups, to share knowledge and insight to fellow farmers. Lavender is recognized as a specialty crop by the USDA.
Kipling Lavender is a family owned Lavender farm located in McDonough County in West Central Illinois, offering many options with their products for the lavender enthusiast. All plants are cared for individually by hand and all products are hand curated. Kipling Lavender’s attention to detail provides stark contrast to products available from chain stores, where we offer online access to our complete line of products and Hemp derived, pharmaceutical Grade: Medical Mary CBD. ON farm Retail space is under construction and will open soon, where you will soon be able to come for a visit, sit back “Relax and smell the Beautiful.”
Lavender, (Lavandula), genus of about 30 species of the mint family, is native to countries bordering the Mediterranean. Lavender species are common in herb gardens for their fragrant leaves and attractive flowers. The plants are widely cultivated for their essential oils, which are used to scent a variety of products. The dried flowers, for example, have long been used in sachets to scent chests and closets, and the ancient Romans used lavender in their baths. Lavender’s association with love extends from Cleopatra to modern times. King Tut’s tomb contained traces of still-fragrant lavender, and it’s said Cleopatra used lavender to seduce Julius Caesar and Mark Antony. Seventh-century thieves who washed in lavender after robbing graves didn’t get the plague. In the 19th century, gypsy travelers sold bunches of lavender on the streets of London to bring people good luck and protect against ill fortune. Greek physicians wrote that lavender taken internally would relieve indigestion, sore throats, headaches, and externally cleaned wounds. The Romans named the plant after its use in their bathing rituals (“lava” is to wash), realizing lavender isn’t only relaxing, but also antiseptic. In more recent history, lavender became famous for its skin healing when René-Maurice Gattefossé, the 1930s French chemist, burned his hand in his laboratory. He applied lavender oil to treat the burn and was so impressed by the quick healing process that he published a book and coined the word “Aromatherapy.”
Information from Encyclopedia Brittanica
Alongside of our full line of relaxing lavender products—lavender has many uses including relaxation at bedtime—Kipling Lavender is proud to be a distributor of high quality Medical Mary CBD products. Enjoy 20% off your Medical Mary CBD purchase today at Kiplinglavender.com.
Sources available upon request