Lavender is a plant native to the Mediterranean region, very cultivated for the extraction of its essential oil, used in perfumery and hygiene products. It is also very appreciated as ornamental plant in gardens, having several cultivars for this purpose. In addition, its flowers are a good source of food for bees and honey produced from its nectar is considered to be of excellent quality. On a smaller scale, it is cultivated as a medicinal plant and as a condiment for food.
Flowers are the main part of the plant used to give flavor and aroma to various types of food, including salads, sauces, jellies, ice cream and some wines and vinegars, although the leaves can also be used.
Several other species of lavender are grown, but the species * Lavandula angustifolia * is the most cultivated, since its essential oil is of better quality. This plant can reach from 30 cm to 2 m in height, depending on the cultivar. Its small flowers can be purple, pink or white.
** Lavender Plantation **
Lavender grows best in a relatively dry and warm climate.
Weather
It is quite tolerant in terms of temperature, but does not grow well in a very humid or very cold climate.
Brightness
It needs direct sunlight for at least a few hours daily.
** Lavender With White Flowers **
Lavender is very popular as an ornamental plant in gardens.
Ground
Cultivation in well drained soil, mild, moderately fertile, with pH between 6.5 and 7.5. The ideal are calcareous soils.
Irrigation
This plant is sensitive to excess water. The soil should always remain slightly moist during the initial growth phase. When it is well developed, lavender is resistant to short periods of drought and can be irrigated sparingly.
** Cultivated Lavender in a Vase **
Lavender can be grown in pots.
Plantation
Lavender or lavender can be propagated by seeds or by stakes.
** Sowing superficially **
The seeds can be sown in the final place or in trays and vessels, in this case being transplanted when the seedlings are large enough to be handled. The seeds usually germinate in two to six weeks.
For the propagation by stachy, the branches can be cut with about 10 cm in length, removing the leaves from the lower part that will remain buried in the ground. The soil should be kept only slightly moist, since an excess of water leads to the rotting of the pieces of branch.
The recommended spacing between the plants can vary from 30 to 90 cm, depending on the size of the cultivated variety and the growing conditions. Lavender can also be easily grown in cups of 30 or 40 cm in diameter.
** Cultural Treatments **
Remove invasive plants that are competing for resources and nutrients.
Cut the older branches that become woody.
** Lavender flowers **
The flowers are very aromatic and from them the essential oil of lavender is extracted.
Harvest
The flowers are harvested so they open, cutting almost the entire branch. The leaves can be harvested when necessary, but are less prized than flowers. The essential oil is extracted only from freshly harvested flowers.
This plant grows relatively slowly, and although it does flower in the first year, flowering is more abundant after the second year of cultivation.
Lavender is a perennial and can produce well for more than a decade.