Most people only know lavender as an ingredient in perfumes and as a filling material in fragrant scented sachets. In fact, Lavandin, a very productive variety of lavender, which is widely grown in Provence, is largely used for perfumes. However, you can also use the intensely fragrant herb with its high proportion of essential oils in many other areas.
What uses does lavender have?
Lavender has a wide range of uses in the home, garden, medicine and kitchen. It has a deterrent effect on insects, calms sleep problems and gastrointestinal complaints, and is aromatic in meat and fish dishes or herbal mixtures.
Lavender in the home and garden
The ancient Egyptians used lavender a few thousand years ago for body care, among other things, a tradition that was continued by the Romans. This original use of the plant is also reflected in its name, as the term “lavender” is derived from the Latin word for “wash”, “lavare”. Even today, the scent of lavender - although now often produced synthetically - can still be found in many cleaning and personal care products. The deterrent effect of lavender on annoying insects such as clothes moths or mosquitoes is also known. For this reason, housewives used to pack scented sachets or lavender sticks in the linen cupboard. Lavender oil, on the other hand, is not only said to repel mosquitoes, but also, when applied pure to the affected parts of the plant, to drive away aphids.
Lavender as a medicinal herb
Lavender has also been used as a medicinal herb for a very long time. As early as the first century AD, the Roman doctor Dioscorides described the plant's diverse uses. For example, the antiseptic effect of lavender was also known to Roman soldiers because they rubbed themselves with lavender oil before a battle. This should prevent inflammation in the event of a wound. Today, the calming effect of lavender on the psyche and the gastrointestinal tract is known. Accordingly, it is used, among other things, for sleep problems or gastrointestinal complaints. Lavender can be used internally (e.g. as a tea), but also externally (e.g. as an ointment or tincture).
Recipe for a calming lavender tea
If you have trouble falling asleep, often can't calm down or are simply stressed, then a cup of lavender tea, drunk shortly before falling asleep, could help.
- Take a generous handful of dried lavender flowers.
- Pour boiling water over them.
- Let the mixture steep for about 15 minutes and then strain it.
- drink the tea in small sips.
By the way, you can also spray your plants with this brew (cooled of course) and keep pests away in a natural way.
Using lavender in the kitchen
Lavender as a culinary herb is little known, as many people consider the leaves to be poisonous. However, this is wrong, because both the young leaves and the flowers are edible and add a wonderful flavor to meat and fish dishes. In fact, there are numerous dishes containing lavender in Provence cuisine - even the famous “Herbs of Provence” contain it. Don't be surprised, however, because lavender is usually not included in the mixtures available in this country.
Tips & Tricks
You can put together your own traditional “Herbs of Provence” mixture from thyme, rosemary, marjoram, fennel (herb), oregano, savory, bay leaf, sage and lavender. You can store the well-dried and rubbed herbs in a dark, well-sealed container for several months.
