Types of Lavender

[funkelt]

I want to grow lavender specifically to ice for essential oils and I figured out that Lavandula angustifolia is the best species for oils. My problem is that there seem to be many subspecies as well. Which lavender do I need?? Does it even matter? I want an aromatherapy quality plant. If anyone knows about making EOs, please share!

 

[Becky]

I'm guessing you are talking about making an oil infusion here, not an essential oil? If you were making an essential oil you would need about 5kg of lavendar flowers to make 15ml of essential oil!

 

[funkelt]

well! on to plan b! everything else lol growing my own will still save me money on everything else I need. might you know how many plants it would take to make a profit or point me in the right direction? Thanks

 

[H.C. Heartland]

I read that you would want to start off with a lavender that is low camphor. And you can try to boil it and then after it cools take a medicine dropper and sterilized bottle and squeeze the oil off of the top of the water. You do not want to mix the water and oil however so it is very hard to do and takes a lot of lavender. The infused oil seems to becoming popular now and there should be lots of recipe's for it. Please post if you have the end result! It sounds like a fun project.

 

[Marck]

Indeed, the sweetest lavenders are select cultivars of English Lavender (Lavandula angustifolia var. angustifolia), In truth, native to southern France and a small part of northwestern Italy. Fine lavender oil is obtained from the flower heads, not the leaves.
Many people are actually surprised by how sweetly scented English Lavender can be. Most people are much more used to the scent of Lavendin (Lavandula x intermedia) which is the lavender more commonly used to scent soap, candles, and the like.

To be assured of an oil with exceptional characteristics you might want to inquire at a specialist nursery. However, if you find a lavender with a scent that fully delights you, your search may be over. The nose knows. Lavandula angustifolia 'Hidcote' is a commonly available cultivar with a very fine scent. Of course, always smell it to double-check, as cultivar confusion is rampant.

 

[Oliver Buckle]

I read that you would want to start off with a lavender that is low camphor. And you can try to boil it and then after it cools take a medicine dropper and sterilized bottle and squeeze the oil off of the top of the water. You do not want to mix the water and oil however so it is very hard to do and takes a lot of lavender. The infused oil seems to becoming popular now and there should be lots of recipe's for it. Please post if you have the end result! It sounds like a fun project.

I don't know what's normal in this particular case, but separation of an oil is more usually done with a tube with a tap at its base. You run off the water and leave behind the oil. If you make the tube thin you can be pretty precise.