French lavender is an elegant and sophisticated plant
Lavender is one of the most fragrant flowers that is known to many. It is sung in songs and is considered a symbol of the most positive intentions. This beautiful flower is recognizable not only because of its pleasant appearance, but also because of the many beneficial properties that people use in their lives.
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Description of lavender
Lavender represents green bush, which grows throughout the warm season. Its homeland is considered to be the northern part of the Mediterranean coast. From the point of view of biological classification, lavender is divided into thirty species, but the most common are:
- English
- Dutch
- French
It is classified as an evergreen shrub from the Lamiaceae family. All known species differ from each other in height, flower shape and crown color. In nature, there are even specimens with a height of two meters and a bush diameter of up to one and a half meters.
Of greatest interest is French lavender. This is due to the fact that it has a wide range of applications and is used in large volumes. The crown of French lavender is dark green in color. The leaves are located opposite each other. The root of this flower has a powerful root system and can reach up to four meters in depth. The flower itself looks like a collection of inflorescences united into one spikelet.In terms of color, French lavender has a soft, subtle purple hue.
The most favorable conditions for this flower are considered to be places where it is warm and has enough moisture. The plant loves open areas where the sun's rays are not blocked by anything. Lavender is not particularly demanding on the quality of the soil, and therefore will grow on both black soil and alumina.
A distinctive feature of this famous shrub is its ability to grow quickly. And here, even climatic zones do not significantly affect the geography of distribution. As for French lavender, it can be found in the tropics, subtropics and temperate climate zones, but the main zone is Western Europe.
Bright aroma and the stunning appearance of the flowers are due to the high content of essential oils. The smell itself has a distinct, sweetish character, which appears already in May.
The nectar of French lavender is very attractive to bees, and therefore this plant is an excellent honey plant. Even the name of the flower has a positive connotation. If you translate it from Latin into Russian, you can get the meaning “to wash” or “to clean.”
Properties of French lavender
All the properties of French lavender have been known since ancient times. The first mention of lavender as a useful flower occurs during the birth of the Roman Empire. It was cultivated and began to be used en masse. In ancient sources, French lavender was used as:
- Spices
- Hygiene products
- Decorative product
- Cosmetics and perfumes
French lavender also hung on the walls next to clothes as a means to combat moths and other harmful insects.Later, when the geography of active use began to expand, medical properties were discovered. Lavender began to be used as an antiseptic.
The delicate aroma and pleasant appearance of the flower prompted people to become even more actively involved in human life. In the eighteenth century, French industrialists began to cultivate lavender on a large scale to create cosmetics and perfumes.
Large well-known companies such as L'Oreal, Oliframe, Oley, Avon, Nitrgina and others have created individual products and cosmetic complexes based on lavender, which has brought them enormous popularity among ordinary consumers. Many gardeners and landscape designers around the world still use French lavender as an integral element of their yard, parks and gardens.
All properties of this flower are due to the elements included in its composition:
- Essential oil
- Tannins
- Vitamins
- Geraniol
- Microelements
- Acids
- Coumarins
- Triterpene substances
- Borneol
At using French lavender As a tea you can get a calming sedative effect. In addition, the extract of this plant helps to cope with nervous tension, headaches, muscle pain and stress. Lavender is also used in massage to improve blood circulation, restore water-salt balance, and wounds heal faster. And in folk medicine, this remedy is used to normalize the digestive process and improve appetite.
Application of the plant
In terms of application, French lavender can give a big head start to many well-known plants. It is used in the following areas of life:
- Cosmetology
- Perfumery
- Medicine
- Aromatherapy
- Cooking
- Food industry
Lavender has been used as a spice for a very long time. First you need to wait until the inflorescences fully open and only after that you can start collecting. Next, the flower is dried in a dark, ventilated room, then it is ground and a well-known seasoning for dishes is obtained.
French lavender also has its share in cooking. Many world cuisines use it as an additive for making sweets, baked goods, preserves and jam. The extract of this plant is used to flavor sugar, which is extremely popular in Europe. In a more specific sense, lavender is used in confectionery in France. Local chefs prefer it over artificial additives.
In addition to cooking, French lavender applied when creating decoctions, tinctures and balms that quench thirst well, increase overall tone and mood, and also normalize the activity of the gastrointestinal tract. In oriental medicine, lavender is used as an ingredient in medicines for diseases of the cardiovascular and nervous system.
Traditional science, in turn, uses lavender as a remedy for the treatment of kidney stones, liver damage, bladder inflammation, arthritis, ear inflammation and bronchitis. This plant can relieve spasms in any area of the human body.
Many of the world's famous brands in the field of cosmetics and perfumes cannot do without French lavender. On its basis, perfumes, creams, lotions, paints, shadows, mascaras and other means of feminine charm are made.
At first glance, French lavender seems to be an ordinary plant with a pleasant appearance and smell.But in reality everything is much different. This flower has entered quite deeply into many areas of human life and has gained enormous demand and popularity among the masses.
And you may not even suspect that baked goods, creams, medications and teas are made using lavender. But if you look closely, you will notice that this remedy has many positive properties that are hidden behind an ordinary artisanal flower, which we really need.
Admire the beauty of blooming French lavender in the video:
Interesting information about the vegetable garden
Comments
Interesting, I didn’t know that soil quality and climate zones do not significantly affect the spread of lavender! Maybe someone can share their growing experience?
Yes, and I was wondering if it is so unpretentious, is it possible to plant it and grow it in a pot?