- Latin name
- Lavandula angustifolia
- Element
- air
- Planet
- Mercury
- Safe to eat?
- Yes, in normal kitchen amounts
How to use it
- Tuck dried flowers into a pillow or sleep sachet
- Add a muslin bag of buds to a warm bath
- Burn a little on charcoal as a calming incense
- Hang a dried bundle by the door or bed
- Infuse a pinch in tea or baking for gentle calm
Lore
The Romans scented their bath water with lavender, and its name is often traced to the Latin lavare, to wash. In Tudor England it was a favourite strewing herb, scattered on floors to sweeten the air.
Safety
Generally safe in culinary amounts. The essential oil must never be swallowed and should be diluted before touching skin; do a patch test first. Lavender oil can be harmful to cats and dogs, so keep oils and diffusers away from pets.
Gods linked with it
- Freyja The Lady, mistress of seiðr and love
More air herbs
- Sage Salvia officinalis
- Dandelion Taraxacum officinale
- Pine Pinus sylvestris
- Mistletoe Viscum album
- Meadowsweet Filipendula ulmaria