Spike lavender Spain Lavandula latifolia ESSENTIAL OIL

ABOUT SPIKE LAVENDER Spike lavender is a rounded, aromatic bush. It looks like true lavender, but has its own botanical characteristics. The flowers are a softer purple and its velvety, gray-green leaves are broader. The latter led to its being nicknamed “broadleaf lavender” in French. Spike lavender grows wild in the temperate regions of the Mediterranean basin, especially in Spain (which is the main producer of the plant) and in the South of France. Unlike true lavender, spike lavender thrives in low altitudes of up to 700 meters. This lavender reproduces from seeds that germinate spontaneously. The lavender sprigs are reaped in August during the flowering period. Spike lavender is not cultivated, as it is wild, and therefore, during the harvest, the harvesters crisscross the arid regions of Spain to gather it. The resulting essential oil is herbaceous and agrestic, with a powerful camphor note, which it shares with its cousin, hybrid lavender.

Lavender essence, called “nard” in ancient times, was a mix of fine lavender and spike lavender. It was probably distilled from the plants that grew abundantly in Provence at the time. First differentiated in the 12th century by Abbess Hildegard, spike lavender acquired its stellar medicinal reputation at that time. Mentioned in the medical literature of the 13th century, spike lavender is believed to cure all sorts of ailments. There was even a fast that used spike lavender and rosemary that was believed to encourage chastity. It was given to young ladies sent to the Ursuline Convent who were thought to be a bit too liberal in their comportment.

These applications are given for information only

WELL-BEING APPLICATIONS* Skin healing, antifungal, analgesic, muscle relaxant. Clears the mental horizon, connects to the wild and luminous nature.

AROMATIC Agrestic

*These aromatherapeutic properties are excerpted from specific works and are provided for information purposes only. They are not, under any circumstances, to be considered sufficient as a basis for any health claim or diagnosis for purposes of therapeutic application. Spike lavender Spain 100 kg of spike lavender flowering tops

Steam distillation η = 1 %

1 kg of essential oil

Harvest calendar J F M A M J J A S O N D

OLFACTORY PROFIL GLOBAL DATA

Aromatic, agrestic, camphoraceous, CAS TSCA: 8016-78-2 herbaceous, floral. CAS EINECS: 84837-04-7 EINECS : 284-290-6 Head Heart Base FEMA: 3033 FDA: 182.200 CoE: 256n TENACITY INCI: Lavandula latifolia herb oil

1 hour Resource: Cultivated 2 hours Processed plant part: Flowering tops 3 hours Transformation process: Steam distillation 6 hours Appearance: Colorless, pale yellow or 1 day orange-yellow liquid 2 days Main constituents: Linalool, 1.8-cineole, 3 days camphor Active constituents: Linalool, 1.8-cineole, 4 days camphor 1 week 2 weeks 3 weeks 1 month * Tenacity of characteristic notes