The Beauty & Benefits of Lavender: Portugal’s Alfazema and Beyond
Lavender (Lavandula) is a member of the mint family and grows in warm climates with well-drained soil. It has many different uses in cooking (make sure you use culinary grade lavender), aromatherapy and natural remedies. It is known for its calming scent and is often used around the home to create a sense of peace. As such, lavender is found in a lot of products that promote healthy sleep.
Some little-known facts about lavender are that our friends the bees love to feast on the flowers during summer and then go onto fertilize other plants, which is critical to the production of fruits and vegetables. Also, mosquitoes dislike the scent of lavender, and it is a deterrent. Carefully placed lavender plants in the ground or in pots around outdoor seating areas will help keep yourself and your guests bug bite free during the summer months. Candles and sprays will also help keep them away.
There are over 450 varieties of Lavender around the world. When we think of the lavender, we conjure up images of Provence, France where rows upon rows of the purple flower create manicured fragrant fields of beauty. But did you know that the official flower of Portugal is a variety of lavender called alfazema. It is grown all over Portugal; however, it thrives in the region of Alentejo. The fields of Alentejo lavender are wilder and more rustic than Provence but are equally as stunning and less crowded. The bees feast on the lavender and then goes on to create lavender honey, or mel de lavanda. The bee’s lavender pollen also goes on to fertilize the regions famed almond trees, olive groves, and vineyards.
Stay tuned to this space and our social media sites as we are getting ready to announce a new launch that will bring you some peace and keep the mosquitoes away.
In the meantime, please head to casabetina.com to look at our beautiful candles, home fragrance and house and kitchen wares.
Did you know that there are over 450 varieties of lavender that grow all over the world? One that is often overlooked, but equally as beautiful and fragrant is Portugues lavender or Lavandula latifolia.