Lavender: flowers, sticks and gentle smoke, origin, choice and precautions

What is lavender?

True lavender (Lavandula angustifolia) is an aromatic subshrub one to two metres tall, native to the western Mediterranean basin, with narrow leaves ('angustifolia' means 'narrow-leaved') and long violet spikes. It belongs to the mint family, along with rosemary and sage. The part used in incense is the flower spike, harvested in summer and dried.

It is important to distinguish:

• true or fine lavender, the most subtle, grown at altitude;
• lavandin (Lavandula x intermedia), a hybrid between true lavender and spike lavender (L. latifolia): more productive, more camphorous, cheaper, and it flowers later;
• spike lavender, even more camphorous.

France (Provence, Drôme, Alpes-de-Haute-Provence) is one of the major growing countries; Bulgaria and other countries also produce a great deal.

A little history

The origin of the word is debated: it is often linked to the Latin lavare, 'to wash', because the Romans scented their baths and linen with it, but other hypotheses exist. Over the centuries, lavender was mainly used to scent linen, wardrobes, toilet waters and gardens, much more than to burn as an incense. Burning lavender as smoke is a rather recent and domestic practice: to our knowledge it has no ancient, precise ritual tradition like myrrh or frankincense. It is better to present it as such.

Its scent, described simply

True lavender smells of fresh, clean flowers, with a soft herbal note and a fruity hint. Lavandin and spike lavender are sharper and more camphorous. Burned dried flowers give off a warmer smell, with hints of hay and honey, and a more fleeting one; sticks scented with oil give a stronger but more uniform scent.

Cultural uses

In the south of France, lavender is an emblem of landscape and craft: sachets, waters, soaps, harvesting on the plateaus. As smoke, it is today used as an ambient scent. In our culture it is readily associated with the idea of calm: it is a link between a scent and memories, not a promise.

How to burn it

• Dried flowers: a few spikes or a pinch of flowers on a sheet of mica or a heating plate. They burn quickly: it is a brief scent. Do not place them on very hot charcoal, they will catch fire.
• Blend: a few flowers with a grain of resin (benzoin, frankincense) for a longer-lasting scent.
• Bundle of stems: a small dry bundle can smoulder like a bundle of herbs; light the end, blow out the flame, place it on a dish and on sand.
• Sticks and cones: the most common; read the composition.

All the basics are in Incense and smoke cleansing.

Choosing well and spotting imitations

Lavender is one of the most imitated scents. A few pointers:

• the label should name the species: L. angustifolia for fine lavender, L. x intermedia for lavandin. A 'lavender' product without a Latin name is a product about which you know nothing;
• high-quality true lavender (for example with a protected designation of origin, as for Haute-Provence essential oil) costs more than lavandin; a very cheap oil is probably lavandin, a blend, or a synthetic scent;
• dried flowers that are brown and dusty, with no scent, are old; flowers that are too blue are sometimes dyed;
• sticks whose list mentions only 'fragrance' contain an artificial aroma.

Sustainability and ethics

Lavender is not a threatened species in the wild, but fine Provence lavender suffers from a decline linked to a disease spread by a leafhopper and to drought, and its growers are in difficulty. Buying French lavender with a stated origin supports these producers. Lavandin cultivation is more profitable but more uniform: be wary of overly appealing claims, and check the origin and the Latin name. For dried flowers, prefer untreated, seasonal lots.

Safety

Dried flowers catch fire easily: stay close, keep a heat-resistant container and sand nearby. Burn little, with a window slightly open, and not in a bedroom where you sleep; smoke, even floral smoke, degrades indoor air. People with asthma or who are sensitive to scents, young children and birds should not be exposed; dogs and cats must be able to leave the room.

Storage

Keep dried flowers in a jar or a paper bag, away from light and humidity. They lose their scent within a year or two; it can be revived by crumpling them. Keep sticks in their packaging, in a dry place.

Pairings with other incenses

Frequently asked questions

Also read

The meanings mentioned belong to tradition and symbolism. They are neither promises of results nor medical advice. Back to Guide to incense and resins.