English lavender

Names and Synonyms

Common Names

• Garden Lavender
• English Lavendar
• Lavender

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Regional and Traditional Names

Sources: Wikidata, Catalogue of Life

Taxonomical Classification

This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae within the phylum Streptophyta and is classified under the class Equisetopsida. Following the subclass Magnoliidae, it is further organized into the order Lamiales and the family Lamiaceae. Finally, Lavandula angustifolia is identified under the genus Lavandula.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Distribution

This plant, known as Lavandula angustifolia, is widely distributed across several key regions of the European continent. In Northern Europe, its presence can be found within the landscapes of both Great Britain and Ireland. Moving toward the center of the continent, it is commonly established in Middle Europe, specifically in Austria and Germany. Furthermore, its natural range extends into Southwestern Europe, where it thrives in the climate of France. Together, these locations define the primary geographical footprint of this medicinal species.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Ecology

The ecology of Lavandula angustifolia is characterized by its preference for specific environmental conditions that facilitate its growth, although it is most commonly found in a cultivated state. In these managed environments, the plant thrives in well-drained, calcareous or sandy soils that prevent waterlogging around its root system. It typically occupies habitats with full solar exposure, requiring high light intensity to synthesize the essential oils that define its chemical profile. While it can adapt to various Mediterranean-style climates, its ecological success in cultivated settings depends on a balance of moderate rainfall and periodic dry spells, mimicking its natural evolutionary niche. The plant's presence in these habitats often supports local biodiversity by providing nectar sources for various pollinating insects, creating a micro-ecosystem within its cultivated zones.

Habitat :

Cultivated

Life history

The life history of Lavandula angustifolia is characterized by its status as a perennial plant, allowing it to persist through multiple growing seasons. Structurally, it is classified as a chamaephyte, a life form where the majority of the plant's shoot system remains close to the soil surface, typically staying within a low height range that provides resilience against environmental stressors. This chamamephyte growth habit enables the species to maintain a stable presence in its natural habitat over many years, cycling through seasonal vegetative growth and flowering phases.

Life form :

chamaephyte

Lifecycle :

perennial

Morphology

The morphology of Lavandula angustifolia is characterized by a woody, shrub growth form that is fundamentally self-supporting rather than acting as a climber or vine. As a terrestrial plant, it is neither aquatic nor an epiphyte, maintaining an independent existence without parasitic behavior. The plant typically reaches a height ranging from a minimum of 0.2 m to a maximum of 1 m, with an average height of approximately 0.3 m. Its structural development is defined by its woody nature, contributing to its classification as a stable, self-supporting shrub.

Aquatic :

terrestrial

Climber :

self-supporting

Epiphyte :

terrestrial

Growth form :

shrub

Parasite :

independent

Plant height max:

1 m

Plant height mean:

0.3 m

Plant height min:

0.2 m

Woodiness :

woody

Physiology

The physiology of Lavandula angustifolia is characterized by a specialized metabolic and morphological framework adapted to Mediterranean-type environments. The plant utilizes a C3 photosynthetic pathway, a common mechanism for temperate woody shrubs, which involves the direct fixation of carbon dioxide through the enzyme Rubisco within the mesophyll cells. To balance gas exchange with the risk of transpiration in arid conditions, the species exhibits a Specific Leaf Area (SLA) with a mean value of 208 cm²/g. This morphological trait indicates a moderate leaf thickness and density, reflecting a strategic trade-off between maximizing light interception for photosynthesis and maintaining structural integrity and water-use efficiency under varying environmental stressors.

Photosynthetic pathway :

C3

Specific Leaf Area (SLA) mean:

208 cm²/g

Reproduction

The reproduction of Lavandula angustifolia is characterized by the production of small, specialized seeds that play a critical role in the plant's life cycle and dispersal. Quantitative analysis of its reproductive output reveals that the seed mass is remarkably consistent, with a measured mean seed mass of approximately 0.00107333333333333 g. This measurement falls within a narrow physiological range, reflecting high precision in seed development, with individual seed masses fluctuating between a minimum of 0.00092 g and a maximum of 0.00102 g. These minute dimensions are typical for the species, facilitating efficient dispersal and establishment within its preferred Mediterranean-style habitats.

Seed mass max:

0.00102 g

Seed mass mean:

0.00107333333333333 g

Seed mass min:

0.00092 g

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Plant Parts

Lavandula angustifolia has 3 reported plant parts identified across 9 scientific publications and several other databases that are studied for medicinal purposes. The most consistently reported plant part include flower, seed, leaf.

Flower

1. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)
2. The international journal of neuropsychopharmacology
3. Yakugaku zasshi : Journal of the Pharmaceutical Society of Japan
4. Materials (Basel, Switzerland)
5. Scientific reports

Seed

1. PloS one
2. Antioxidants (Basel, Switzerland)

Leaf

1. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)

Chemicals

Lavandula angustifolia has 125 reported phytochemicals identified across 9 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include Linalool, LINALYL ACETATE, rosmarinic acid, Flavonoids, Caryophyllene.

Linalool

1. Dr. Duke
2. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)
3. AMB Express
4. Frontiers in pharmacology
5. Journal of agriculture and food research

LINALYL ACETATE

1. Dr. Duke
2. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)
3. AMB Express
4. Frontiers in pharmacology
5. Cell and tissue banking

rosmarinic acid

1. Dr. Duke
2. Food technology and biotechnology
3. Chemistry & biodiversity
4. Pharmaceutics
5. Plants (Basel, Switzerland)

Flavonoids

1. Dr. Duke
2. Open life sciences
3. Chemistry & biodiversity
4. Materials (Basel, Switzerland)

Caryophyllene

1. Dr. Duke
2. International journal of molecular sciences
3. Scientific reports

Caryophyllene oxide

1. Dr. Duke
2. Chemistry & biodiversity
3. Scientific reports

LIMONENE

1. Dr. Duke
2. Foods (Basel, Switzerland)
3. Chemistry & biodiversity

Lavandulyl acetate

1. Dr. Duke
2. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)
3. Scientific reports

camphor

1. Dr. Duke
2. Chemistry & biodiversity
3. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)

quercetin

1. Open life sciences
2. Natural product research
3. Acta poloniae pharmaceutica

Activities

Lavandula angustifolia has 360 reported activities identified across 9 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Antioxidant, Antibacterial, Anxiolytic, Analgesic, Sedative.

Antioxidant

1. Dr. Duke
2. AMB Express
3. Natural product research
4. Neoplasma
5. Planta medica

Antibacterial

1. Dr. Duke
2. AMB Express
3. PloS one
4. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)
5. Materials (Basel, Switzerland)

Anxiolytic

1. Dr. Duke
2. Advances in gerontology = Uspekhi gerontologii
3. Pakistan journal of pharmaceutical sciences
4. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)
5. PloS one

Analgesic

1. Dr. Duke
2. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)
3. Neurological sciences : official journal of the Italian Neurological Society and of the Italian Society of Clinical Neurophysiology
4. Advances in skin & wound care
5. International journal of molecular sciences

Sedative

1. Dr. Duke
2. Phytotherapy research : PTR
3. Advances in skin & wound care
4. Journal of ethnopharmacology
5. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)

Anthelmintic

1. Dr. Duke
2. PLoS neglected tropical diseases
3. Veterinary parasitology

Anticancer

1. Dr. Duke
2. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)
3. Pharmaceutics

Antidepressant

1. Dr. Duke
2. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)
3. Planta medica

Antidiabetic

1. Dr. Duke
2. AMB Express
3. Scientific reports

Antiseptic

1. Dr. Duke
2. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)
3. Journal of advanced nursing

Conditions

Lavandula angustifolia has 90 reported investigations on conditions identified across 9 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported conditions include anxiety, depression, insomnia, mood, oxidative stress.

Anxiety

1. Advances in gerontology = Uspekhi gerontologii
2. Evidence-based complementary and alternative medicine : eCAM
3. European review for medical and pharmacological sciences
4. Children (Basel, Switzerland)
5. Phytomedicine : international journal of phytotherapy and phytopharmacology

Depression

1. Children (Basel, Switzerland)
2. Progress in neuro-psychopharmacology & biological psychiatry
3. Frontiers in aging neuroscience
4. BioImpacts : BI
5. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)

Insomnia

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology
2. Chemistry & biodiversity
3. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)

Mood

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology
2. Phytomedicine : international journal of phytotherapy and phytopharmacology
3. PloS one

Oxidative stress

1. Brain and behavior
2. Frontiers in aging neuroscience
3. Plants (Basel, Switzerland)

Pain

1. European review for medical and pharmacological sciences
2. Spine
3. International journal of molecular sciences

Restlessness

1. Children (Basel, Switzerland)
2. Phytomedicine : international journal of phytotherapy and phytopharmacology
3. Planta medica

Sleep quality

1. Evidence-based complementary and alternative medicine : eCAM
2. Journal of ethnopharmacology
3. Women & health

Alzheimer's disease

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology
2. Evidence-based complementary and alternative medicine : eCAM

Antioxidant

1. AMB Express
2. Scientific reports

Preparations

Lavandula angustifolia has 33 reported preparations identified across 9 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported preparations include essential oils, extracts, essential oil, Decoctions, Essential Oil.

Essential oils

1. Iranian journal of parasitology
2. Journal of natural products
3. Journal of agriculture and food research
4. Foods (Basel, Switzerland)
5. Zeitschrift fur Naturforschung. C, Journal of biosciences

Extracts

1. Frontiers in bioscience (Elite edition)
2. Natural product research
3. Brain and behavior
4. Inflammopharmacology

Essential oil

1. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)
2. Phytotherapy research : PTR
3. Phytomedicine : international journal of phytotherapy and phytopharmacology

Decoctions

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Essential oil

1. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)

Essential oil

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Extracts

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Kar1

1. Scientific reports

Laeo

1. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)

Lavender oil (lo)

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology