- Lavender blossoms
Your plants are an orchard of pomegranates
with choice fruits,
with henna and nard,
nard and saffron,
calamus and cinnamon,
with every kind of incense tree,
with myrrh and aloes
and all the finest spices.
Song of Songs 4:13-14
In the Bible ‘nard’ refers to Lavender
This popular member of the mint family is a native of the western Mediterranean where it grows on grassy slopes amongst rocks. Lavender makes an excellent companion plant for most garden plants, but most especially cabbages. This highly aromatic shrub blooms from July through August.
The knowledge of its varied uses dates back to at least the ancient Greeks. The Romans shared Lavender with the Europeans, and they themselves used Lavender in the bath, in preparation for childbirth, to expel afterbirth, and to promote menstruation.
In magic it has been used for years upon years for its calming scent, its peaceful and sedating effects and to help attract love! Its scent is said to attract men. Keeping this herb in the home ensures peace; joy and healing will always be present!
The leaves, petal, and flowering tips can be consumed raw in salads, soups, and stews….it can also be used as a condiment. The flowers can be used to brew a tea, using fresh or dried if fine. Since the flowers have a very aromatic flavor use care in the formulae so that the flavor is not too strong. The fresh flowers can be added to jams, ice-creams, vinegar, and etc as a food flavoring!
In Herbal medicine the traditional uses of Lavender include a variety of nervous conditions, including depression and fatigue. It has also been used for headache, rheumatism, and as an antiseptic.
On one of the Western Indian reservations there is a major problem with black mold. This mold is a killer, and one of my acquaintances experimented with a strong lavender infusion. The infusion was strained and put into spray bottle. When sprayed on the walls the mold died!
Since then I, personally had an issue with mold in the sinuses, and remembering what was discovered out west, I took a single drop of Lavender essential oil in the palm of one hand, rubbed my two palms together, then inhaled deeply. I repeated this 3 or more times a day…within 48 hrs there was a remarkable change in my sinus problem with a complete resolution within 10 days!
Herbe Rowe 