LAVANDULA ANGUSTIFOLIA: CHARACTERISTICS, HABITAT, PROPERTIES - BIOLOGY - 2024

The Lavandula angustifolia, lavender or lavender is a perennial sufrútice belonging to the Lamiaceae family. The species is located in the Mediterranean basin and spreads from North Africa to the Arabian Peninsula and South Asia.

Common names for the genus Lavandula are lavender, lavender, lavender, thyme, and lavandin or lavender for commercially grown hybrids. Since ancient times it has been used as an ornamental plant and to obtain essential oils of cosmetic and medicinal interests.

Lavandula angustifolia. Source: pixabay.com

The plant is a medium-sized aromatic shrub with a short woody stem that is highly branched on herbaceous branches densely covered by short, opposite leaves. The small greyish-blue and purple-hued flowers are arranged in peduncular spikes 10-20 cm long.

The inflorescences have a slightly sweet aroma, a product of the sebaceous glands located in the villi of stems, leaves and flowers. Indeed, just lightly touching the plant gives off a pleasant characteristic aroma.

The scent that lavender lavender gives off is ideal to perfume environments, being used inside cabinets and drawers. For this reason, its smell is used as a reference for the manufacture of cosmetics and cleaning products.

In addition, thanks to its therapeutic properties, it is used in traditional medicine by mouth, baths or inhalations to combat various disorders. It is used to calm nervous and stomach problems, as an emmenagogue, in compresses for rheumatic pain and inhalations to treat bronchitis, laryngitis and colds.

General characteristics

Morphology

Lavandula angustifolia is a shrubby species that reaches 1-1.5 m in height, with a quadrangular, slightly hairy stem and curved angles. The grayish suffrutice stem has a woody texture at the base, which gives it an appearance between grass and shrub.

The leaves are lanceolate and linear, 10 cm long, sometimes sharp, and green with twisted edges. The small blue-violet flowers have slightly actinomorphic tubular calyx with a rhomboid extension on the upper part.

Inflorescence of Lavandula angustifolia. Source: H. Zell

The flowers are grouped in spikes of 6-10 flowers, with a catchy texture to the touch due to the essential oil they emanate. They disperse a strong camphor-like scent, deeper than other varieties of lavender.

Taxonomy

• Kingdom: Plantae
• Division: Magnoliophyta
• Class: Magnoliopsida
• Order: Lamiales
• Family: Lamiaceae
• Subfamily: Nepetoideae
• Tribe: Lavanduleae
• Genus: Lavandula
• Species: Lavandula angustifolia Mill., 1768 non Moench, 1794

Etymology

The generic name Lavandula comes from the Latin Lavandula and Lavender, related to the use of infusions of this plant to perfume the washing water. Another version suggests that Lavandula derives from the Latin līvěo, - ēre, which means bluish, livid or envious.

The adjective angustifolia is a Latin name that means "with narrow leaves."

Phytochemistry

In the chemical composition of Lavandula angustifolia, various essential oils and terpenic derivatives stand out, providing it with therapeutic and aromatic properties.

Essential oil (0.8%)

Acetates, caffeic acids, chlorogenic acids, phenolic acids, free terpenic alcohols (30-40% of the oil), borneol, butyrate, camphene, terpenic carbides, caryophyllene and diterpene. As well as cineol (up to 3% of the essential oil), linalol esters (35% of the essence), geraniol, linalol, ocimeno, tannins (12%) and linalyl valerate.

Terpenic derivatives (1%)

Coumaric acid, labiatic acid (rosmarinic acid), ursolic acid, cedar, coumarin, umbelliferone esters and luteolin.

Distribution and habitat

Lavandula angustifolia is native to the Mediterranean, Africa, the Arabian Peninsula, Russia, and Africa. Since ancient times, lavender was known for its flavoring, soothing, healing and disinfectant properties, being used as an infusion, essential and ornamental oil.

It is naturally distributed throughout the Mediterranean basin especially in Spain, Italy, France, Croatia, Bosnia, Slovenia, Montenegro, Serbia and Switzerland. Its commercial production includes other European countries such as Great Britain, Cyprus and Greece; in America in the US, Brazil and Argentina. In Africa in Kenya, Tasmania and Tanganyika; and in Asia in Japan and India.

Lavender field. Source: pixabay.com

This plant is found in the wild in valleys and shallow slopes, at different altitude levels. It is generally located between 900 and 1,500 meters above sea level, obtaining better results at 700-1,000 meters above sea level.

In commercial productions it has been determined that the higher the height, the better the quality and fineness of aromatic oils. Regarding the temperature, it tolerates temperatures below zero during the winter and averages of 30-35º C during the summer.

Its water requirements vary between 500-1,100 mm per year. In hot and dry summers the yield decreases, however the essence is of superior quality.

The appropriate relative humidity is between 40-50%, the wind being a determining factor, since the best aromas are obtained in areas with strong winds, such as the Swiss Alps.

Direct sun exposure and the length of the day during the summer influence the productivity and performance of essential oils. In fact, higher performance is obtained with higher solar radiation and daylight hours during the day.

Health properties

Growing lavender has several purposes; the living plant is used as an ornament, and some parts of the plant as a condiment. In addition, it is a raw material for the cosmetic, perfumery, pharmaceutical, medicinal, beekeeping, extracts, essential oils, among others.

For medicinal purposes, the cooking of some flowers or pieces of stems in water is used to relieve rheumatic or lumbar pain. Likewise, topical applications act as analgesics for headaches and feet, stiff neck, cuts and wounds, and as an antiseptic for burns.

Lavender essence. Source: pixabay.com

Skin diseases such as psoriasis or rashes present relief when washed with an infusion of dried flowers. Likewise, eczema, bruises, bruises, insect bites, and to control hair loss.

Lavender is also used as an antibiotic to treat respiratory diseases. Including sore throats, bronchitis, pharyngitis, vaginal infections, and colds.

On the other hand, it has sedative and antispasmodic properties, which is why treatment with infusions or tinctures can alleviate these conditions. Among these are anxiety, hypertension, insomnia, nervousness and vertigo.

Culture

Lavandula angustifolia is a plant that adapts to stony, low-fertility, loose, slightly alkaline and well-drained soils. In wet and heavy soils, with shallow water tables, it does not grow effectively and tends to develop root diseases.

This crop thrives in dry conditions, with high incidence of solar radiation and totally sunny. At the commercial level, lavender is propagated by seeds or by cuttings.

Detail of the Lavandula angustifolia flower. Source: Norbert Nagel, Mörfelden-Walldorf, Germany

The seeds selected from strong and healthy plants require a stratification process during the winter to favor the elimination of the integument. The plantation is established on a well-drained, weed-free, compost or manure storage facility.

Sowing is established in early spring for field transplanting during fall and winter. It is necessary to carry out continuous watering and frequent cleaning, until obtaining vigorous seedlings to transplant to the final ground.

Multiplication by seeds is rare, since by this method it is difficult to obtain phenotypically identical plants to the mother plant. Propagation by cuttings is the most used method because it allows to control the uniformity and quality of the crop.

The cuttings are chosen from robust and productive plants, with homogeneous flowering, good color and aroma quality. The woody cuttings - 15-20 cm - are taken from plants older than one year, placed in a greenhouse in autumn or winter.

The rooted cuttings will be transplanted in the field at the end of winter following the spacing of 1.2-1.5 m between rows and 0.60-0.80 m between plants. An efficiently managed lavender field can become productive and high-yielding within 6-8 years.

Cultural work

During the first year, weed control and hilling are required, supplying irrigation if environmental conditions are adverse. At the beginning of flowering, selective pruning can be carried out to invigorate the flower shoots.

At the time of cleaning the ground and weeding, care must be taken not to hurt the roots. Indeed, the roots are susceptible to attack by pathogens; during the productive years it is recommended to maintain similar care.

Lavender cultivation. Source: pixabay.com

Some plants tend to grow overgrown and tip over due to the wind. For this reason, it is possible to prune 20-30 cm above the ground, to facilitate the formation of a new leaf structure.

The commercial harvest is carried out from the second year of flowering, during the months of June and September. Flowering branches are cut during dry days, avoiding harvesting during or after rainfall.

The collection of the floral branches for medicinal purposes or for herbalism is recommended at the moment of beginning the flowering. The flower spikes should be dried in a well ventilated place at a temperature below 35ºC.

Pests

Among the main pests that affect lavender cultivation can be mentioned:

Meligethes subfurumatus

Meligetes are coleopteran adults that affect the flower spikes of lavender. Its control is carried out through the application of insecticides prior to flowering.

Sophronia Humerella

Chick of the order Lepidoptera. The larvae of this moth eat the young shoots of the lavender crop. The application of systemic insecticides is recommended.

Thomasiniana lavandulae

The cecidoma is one of the pests with the greatest consequences in the cultivation of lavender. The larvae of this fly pierce stems and branches, causing rotting and death of the plant. Treatment consists of removing the adult before it oviposits the eggs.

References

1. Basch, E., Foppa, I., Liebowitz, R., Nelson, J., Smith, M., Sollars, D., & Ulbricht, C. (2004). Lavender (Lavandula angustifolia Miller). Journal of herbal pharmacotherapy, 4 (2), 63-78.
2. Lavandula angustifolia (2019) Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Recovered at: es.wikipedia.org
3. Marqués Camarena, M. (2016). Chemical composition of Lavender and Thyme essential oils. Determination of antifungal activity. Polytechnic University of Valencia. Escola Tècnica Superior D´Enginyeria Agronòmica I Del Medi Natural (Thesis).
4. Montiel Secundino, Fabiola (2009) Applications and uses of lavender or Lavandula angustifolia P. Mill. Tlahui - Medic No. 29, I / 2010 Retrieved at: tlahui.com
5. Peñalver, DH, by Benito López, B., & Ruiz, OS (2013). Lavender cultivation: quality and yields of essential oil. Agriculture: Revista agropecuaria, (968), 838-841.
6. Climate requirements and soil preparation for growing lavender (2017) Wikifarmer editorial team. Recovered at: wikifarmer.com
7. Stoltz Denner, S. (2009). Lavandula angustifolia miller: english lavender. Holistic Nursing Practice, 23 (1), 57-64.