Description
Lavandula angustifolia, true or English lavender, is a compact, perennial aromatic shrub of the family Lamiaceae, native to the dry, rocky hillsides and garrigues of the western Mediterranean at elevations between 300 and 1,800 metres — principally in the Haute-Provence of France, which produces the most prized lavender essential oil globally under the AOC Lavande de Haute-Provence designation. The dense spikes of violet-blue tubular flowers are harvested at full bloom and dried for commercial use. Rich in linalool and linalyl acetate, lavender buds have been documented in European herbal traditions from at least the Roman period and are incorporated in preparations for nervous system calm, sleep support, and skin care. In India, limited cultivation occurs in the Jammu and Kashmir foothills and Uttarakhand, supported by the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research.
