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Common Name: Spike Lavender

General Information

Lavandula latifolia is an evergreen shrub that can grow up to 0.35 metres tall.
It is harvested from the wild for local use as a food, medicine and source of materials.

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

, ,

Range

Europe - W. Mediterranean.

Habitat

Arid hillsides, especially on limestone[].

Properties

Edibility Rating
Medicinal Rating
Habit	Evergreen Shrub
Height	0.35 m
Pollinators	Bees, Lepidoptera
Cultivation Status	Wild

Cultivation Details

Succeeds in almost any soil so long as it is well-drained and not too acid[, ]. Prefers a sunny position in a neutral to alkaline soil[, ]. Prefers a light warm dry soil[]. When grown in rich soils the plants tend to produce more leaves but less essential oils[]. Very tolerant of salt wind exposure. Established plants are drought tolerant[]. When growing for maximum essential oil content, the plant must be given a very warm sunny position and will do best in a light sandy soil, the fragrance being especially pronounced in a chalky soil[].
This species of lavender is cultivated for its essential oil in S. France and England[, ]. It is very closely related to L. angustifolia but perhaps not so hardy, tolerating temperatures down to about -10°c[, ].
Plants are not very long-lived and soon become straggly unless pruned. Any trimming of the plant is best done in spring and should not be done in the autumn since this can encourage new growth that will not be very cold-hardy[].
A good bee plant[, ], also attracting butterflies and moths[].
A good companion for most plants[], growing well with cabbages[].

Edible Uses

Leaves - raw[, ]. Used as a condiment in salads[]. Very aromatic[], they cannot be eaten in quantity[].
An essential oil from the flowers is used as a food flavouring[].

Medicinal

Spike lavender has similar medicinal properties to common lavender (L. angustifolia). It yields more essential oil than that species but is of inferior quality[].
The flowering stems, and the essential oil obtained from them, is abortifacient, antibacterial, antiseptic, antispasmodic, carminative and emmenagogue[, , ]. They can be used in all the ways that common lavender is used, externally to treat wounds, burns, insect stings etc and internally to treat digestive disorders[].
The essential oil is used in aromatherapy. Its keyword is 'Immune system'[].

Other Uses

An essential oil is obtained from the flowers - used in soap making, perfumery, food flavouring, veterinary medicines, porcelain painting etc[, ]. The essential oil is an effective inhibitor of hydrochloric acid corrosion when coated over steel[]. This species yields up to three times the quantity of essential oil than is obtained from L. angustifolia, but the quality is inferior to that species[, , ]. When growing the plant for its essential oil content, it is best to harvest the flowering stems as soon as the flowers have faded[].
The aromatic leaves and flowers are used as an insect repellent in the linen cupboard etc[, ]. They are also used in pot-pourri[] and are said to repel mice[].
The flowering stems, once the flowers have been removed for use in pot-pourri etc, can be tied in small bundles and burnt as incense sticks[].

Propagation

Seed - sow spring in a greenhouse and only just cover the seed[]. It usually germinates in 1 - 3 months at 15°c. When large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and grow them on in the greenhouse or cold frame for their first winter, planting them out in late spring after the last expected frosts.
Cuttings of half-ripe wood 7 - 10cm with a heel, mid summer in a frame. Usually very east, a high percentage will root within a few weeks[]. Grow them on in the greenhouse for their first winter and plant them out in late spring after the last expected frosts.
Cuttings 7cm with a heel succeed at almost any time of the year[].
Layering.