Lavender has been traditionally used for its healing properties for centuries. The National Institute of Health's Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine reports that lavender was even used in the process of mummifying bodies in ancient Egypt. Lavender oil can be used to treat many symptoms, ranging from anxiety and depression to certain skin and sleep disorders.
True Lavender
True lavender, Lavandula angustifolia, is the most well-known variety of lavender. True lavender in plant form has the traditional purple barrel-shaped flowers. It is also referred to as English lavender or common lavender, and is used to make the essential oil that can be found in many holistic and health stores. Because it does not produce as much oil as the other forms of lavender, it is often mixed with other types of lavender oils to enhance the aroma. The National Institute of Health states that this type of lavender is useful for treating anxiety, sleep disorders such as insomnia, and depression. It has a soothing, calming, and balancing aroma.
Spike Lavender
Spike lavender, Lavandula spica, is also used to produce essential oil. It has a slightly different appearance, in that its flowers are spiky in shape and it has broader leaves as compared to those of the true lavender (English lavender) plant. AuraCacia, a well known producer of essential oils, states that this type of lavender plant produces three times as much essential oil than the true lavender plant, but its scent is more like a combination of eucalyptus and lavender, making it much less desirable.
Lavandin
Lavandin is another form of lavender that is sold in essential oil form labeled specifically as "lavandin," and not lavender. It is also referred to as Dutch lavender, and is a hybrid of spike and true lavender. The National Sustainable Agriculture Information Service reports that lavandin is traditionally mixed with true lavender to create a more pleasant fragrance. The lavandin plant has larger flowers, leaves, and longer stems than true lavender plants.
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