Facts about Lavender
- 08
Lavender's purple pigment comes from anthocyanins, water-soluble compounds that also provide antioxidant benefits valued in traditional medicine for over 1,000 years across Mediterranean cultures.
- 07
Culinary lavender varieties contain less than 1 percent essential oil by weight, while medicinal cultivars like Lavandula angustifolia can yield up to 3 percent oil content depending on growing conditions.
- 06
Bees visiting lavender flowers can increase their foraging efficiency by up to 20 percent due to the plant's high nectar production of approximately 0.1 milligrams per flower.
- 05
Provence, France produces approximately 30 percent of the world's lavender supply, with over 40 percent of France's lavender harvest exported as essential oil to international markets annually.
- 04
The chemical compound linalool comprises 30-50 percent of lavender essential oil and is responsible for its distinctive calming effects on the human nervous system.
- 03
Lavender plants typically flower for 4-5 months between June and September in the Northern Hemisphere, with peak blooming occurring in mid-July when oil concentration reaches maximum levels.
- 02
Approximately 150 pounds of lavender flowers are required to produce just one pound of pure lavender essential oil through steam distillation.
- 01
Ancient Romans cultivated lavender over 2,500 years ago and valued it so highly they spent up to 300 denarii per pound, making it one of the most expensive substances in the empire.