Botanical Name: Lavandula angustifolia Mill.

Family: Lamiaceae (Labiatae).

Synonyms: Lavandula officinalis Chaix.; Lavandula spica L.; Lavandula vera DC.; common lavender; English lavender from France is often traded as French Lavender.

Origin: Indigenous to the western Mediterranean region. Now cultivated all over the world. France, Spain, Australia, Bulgaria, Ukraine, England, Russia, Italy, etc.

Botanical Description: A n aromatic evergreen, perennial woody shrub, reaching up to 1-meter (3 ft) height. It has pale green or silvery, narrow, linear leaves, with beautiful violet-blue or purple-blue flowers on attractive blunt spikes. The plant is highly aromatic.

Oil Extraction: Essential oil is obtained by steam distillation of the fresh flowering tops. The oil is colorless to pale yellow. Yield 1 to 3%.

Aroma Profile: Has a sweet fruity floral top note, with a sweet herbaceous refreshing balsamic-woody undertone. The dry out is a clean floral herbaceous note. Should not be camphoraceous.

Major Constituents: Linalyl acetate, linalool, cis- and trans-β-ocimene, terpinen-4-ol, lavandulol, lavandulyl acetate, 1,8-cineole, limonene, camphor.

Adulterants: Lavandin oil, spike lavender oil, synthetic linalool and linalyl acetate.

Regulatory Status: GRAS 182.20.

Aromatherapy: Balancing, soothing, normalizing, gently clarifying, calming, and relaxing.

Blends well with: Most oils; florals and citrus oils, clove, clary sage, cedarwood, vetiver, patchouli, vanilla etc.

Safety Data: Non-toxic, non-irritant, non-sensitizing.