Lavender Profile
Lavender
Lavandula angustifolia
For calm nerves, head-heaviness and evening rituals.
Herbal Intelligence
Understanding Lavender
Lavender (Lavandula angustifolia) is a small evergreen shrub of the mint family, native to the Mediterranean. Its purple flower spikes have scented baths, linen and gardens for centuries, and the name itself comes from the Latin lavare, 'to wash'.
The taste is strongly floral and aromatic, with a soft bitterness. Most people take Lavender as a tea, often blended with Chamomile or Lemon Balm, and it is the herb our customers reach for in the evening, when the nerves want calming and the day needs a clear end.
Cultural use
Lavender is native to the Mediterranean region, including France, Spain and Italy(1). Its name comes from the Latin verb lavare, 'to wash', and its scent has long been used in baths and perfumes(1).
It has been both a household and a medicinal plant since at least medieval times. The physicians Ibn Sina and Razi prescribed it, and it became a source of perfumes, soaps and flavourings as well as remedies(2). By 1608 the herbal of the Flemish physician Rembertus Dodonaeus was describing lavender water as a calming agent(3).
The flowers went on to be used across Europe at times of restlessness(3). In Germany, Lavender tea holds a standard licence that lists restlessness and sleeplessness among its uses(3). Dried flowers are still added to the bath, tucked into linen and kept by the pillow.
Phytochemistry
Lavender flowers contain 1 to 3 per cent essential oil. Its main components are linalool and linalyl acetate, the compounds behind the familiar scent(3). The flowers also hold tannins, up to 13 per cent, along with flavonoids, coumarins and phenolic acids such as rosmarinic acid(3). Most laboratory and clinical research has looked at the distilled oil, not at the flower tea(3).
Modern herbal use
In Western herbalism Lavender is classed as a nervine and a carminative: an aromatic flower for the nerves and the stomach together. It is rarely drunk alone. A pinch goes into evening blends with Chamomile, Lemon Balm or Passionflower, where it adds scent and a floral edge.
People use it at the close of the day: a cup after dinner, a handful of flowers in the bath, a sachet by the pillow.
The European Medicines Agency accepts Lavender flower as a traditional herbal medicine for mild mental stress and to aid sleep, on the strength of long use, not clinical proof(3). The US National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health says more high-quality research is needed to reach reliable conclusions(1). So we describe how it is used, not what it will do.
Developed and reviewed by Laura Grace, Owner and Creative Director of Happy Herb Co, Herb Educator and Registered Ayurvedic Lifestyle Consultant ·
This profile is intended as a researched educational guide and does not replace the broader perspective of a herbal consultation.
Sources
- National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health. (2025). Lavender: Usefulness and safety. National Institutes of Health. https://www.nccih.nih.gov/health/lavender
- Koulivand, P. H., Khaleghi Ghadiri, M., & Gorji, A. (2013). Lavender and the nervous system. Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine, 2013, 681304. https://doi.org/10.1155/2013/681304
- European Medicines Agency, Committee on Herbal Medicinal Products. (2012). Assessment report on Lavandula angustifolia Miller, aetheroleum and Lavandula angustifolia Miller, flos. Final (EMA/HMPC/143183/2010). https://www.ema.europa.eu/en/documents/herbal-report/final-assessment-report-lavandula-angustifolia-miller-aetheroleum-and-lavandula-angustifolia-miller-flos_en.pdf
Lavender, in your words
★★★★★
5.0 out of 5, from 5 reviews
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Brodie W. I am truly inlove with lavender in my tea! A beautiful aroma and flavour for all teas. And a perfect herb for helping to relax.
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Paige E. Very strong smelling, super calming and has so many uses. Loving putting it in my baths, foot soaks, teas and diffusers. Works great as a linen/room spray. Keeps bugs away.
Great to hear you are experiencing so many ways to use it, Ive been baking cakes with it. Thanks Laura
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Annabel P. Lavender
Hi Annabel, thank you for the review! We are glad you enjoyed the lavender. Cheers!
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Nikki G. I find myself adding lavender to most of my herbal teas as it gives them a beautiful softness and a delicious taste.
I find it blends especially well with my night time teas to assist with a restful nights sleep.
Hi Nikki, Thank you for sharing about your experience with lavender!! Sounds like such a lovely addition to the other herbs/blends! xx
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Pixie L. Lavender has been used since the middle ages as a calmative. It's still used now with great results.
I highly recommend it.
Hi Pixie,
Thank you for your review! Glad to hear you are happy with the Lavender. Love how you mentioned that this flower has been used to relax the nervous system for centuries! We love preserving this ancient wisdom.
Your honest feedback helps other customers connect to the best products for their needs, so we really appreciate you taking the time to write this@
Cheers,
Happy. Herb Co
In everyday life
Connect with Lavender
How it's used
Lavender flowers are used in four main ways.
- Tea. Steep 1 to 2 teaspoons of dried flowers in a cup of just-boiled water, covered, for 10 minutes. The flavour is strongly floral, so many people blend it with Chamomile or Lemon Balm and add honey.
- Liquid extract. A tincture or spagyric, usually as part of a blend, taken in a little water. Follow the directions on the label.
- Bath and pillow. A muslin bag of flowers can go into the bath, and a sachet of dried flowers scents linen or sits by the pillow.
- Milled herb blend. The dried flowers are also smoked, as the floral, aromatic layer of a hand-rolled blend.
Lavender is most often an evening herb, taken as part of winding down.
A Moment with Lavender
The scent that clears the room.
Rub a few dried flowers between your fingers and hold them to your nose. Lavender has been laid among linen, strewn on floors and tucked under pillows for as long as there have been houses.
Steep a teaspoon with chamomile and honey, or put a muslin bag of flowers in the bath. Make it the last thing before bed, not the second last.
Sip slowly. A scent can change a room without moving anything in it. What small shift would change the feeling of your evening?
Shop
Lavender, ready to use
Single Herb
Luxury Tea
Sleepy Time Herbal Tea Blend
Sale price$20.00
A bedtime tea of passionflower, valerian, lemon balm, lavender and chamomile.
Milled Blend
Spagyric
Breathe Easy Spagyric
Sale price$25.00
Licorice, hyssop, chen pi, aniseed, lavender and ginger in one spagyric.
FAQ
Lavender: frequently asked questions
What is Lavender?
Lavender (Lavandula angustifolia) is a small evergreen shrub of the mint family, native to the Mediterranean. Its fragrant purple flowers have been used in baths, perfumes and household remedies since at least medieval times, and the name comes from the Latin lavare, 'to wash'. Today Lavender is taken as a tea, added to the bath and kept by the pillow.
What is Lavender good for?
Lavender is long associated with calm and rest. In European tradition the flowers are taken as a tea, added to the bath and kept by the pillow at times of restlessness, and Western herbalists class it as a nervine. Most research has looked at Lavender oil and more high-quality studies are needed, so we describe how it is used, not what it will do.
When should I use Lavender for sleep?
Lavender is best known as a herb people reach for when they need gentle calming at the end of the day. Most people have a cup of Lavender tea, often blended with Chamomile, in the hour before bed, or add the flowers to an evening bath. It suits a regular wind-down routine.
How do you make Lavender tea?
Steep 1 to 2 teaspoons of dried Lavender flowers in a cup of just-boiled water, covered, for 10 minutes, then strain. Covering the cup keeps the aroma in. The flavour is strongly floral, so many people use a little less, blend it with Chamomile or Lemon Balm, and add honey to taste.
Does Lavender contain caffeine?
No. Lavender is naturally caffeine free, so Lavender tea can be drunk in the evening and before bed. It is the flower of a shrub in the mint family, not a true tea, and it is often blended with other caffeine-free herbs such as Chamomile and Lemon Balm.
Can Lavender be smoked?
Yes. Dried Lavender flowers are smoked in some herbal blends, including our milled herb blends, where they add a floral, aromatic note. Lavender is far better known as a tea and a bath herb, and there is little written history of smoking it.
Inhaling smoke is harmful; we describe how the herb is used, we do not suggest it. Most people prefer to enjoy Lavender as a tea.
Who should not take Lavender?
Do not use Lavender if you have a known allergy to it. If you take sedatives or other medicines that slow the central nervous system, speak with your doctor or herbalist first. The US NCCIH notes that Lavender taken by mouth may cause diarrhoea, headache, nausea or burping. If you take medication or have a health condition, check with your health professional first.
When should I use Lavender for sleep?
Lavender is famous for its calming scent, and research shows that it can help reduce anxiety and improve sleep quality. You can use Lavender in various forms, add to your favourite sleepy tea, enjoy alone as a tea, place under your pillow, or add it to your bath. We would suggest using it when wishing to gently relax before sleep, not necessarily when you are dealing with Insomnia or a series sleep issue.
Precautions
Do not use in known allergy. Caution if taking sedatives or CNS depressants: consult your doctor and naturopath/herbalist.
Cited Herbal Actions
- Anti-Inflammatory
- Antibacterial
- Antimicrobial
- Anxiolytic
- Astringent
- Bitter Tonic
- Carminative
- Cholagogue
- Hepatic
- Nervine
- Sedative
- Nervine Tonic
- Nootropic
- Antispasmodic
As described in the monographs cited under Sources.
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