Lavender Oil And Lavender Essential Oil
Lavender has been one of the most used plants in aromatherapy since ancient times with its eye-catching color, magnificent scent, therapeutic and cosmetic properties, has been preferred as an ornamental and hedge plant with its flowers that create a visual feast. and has been used to add flavoring to food.
Features of Lavender Plant
Lavender is a perennial plant in semi-shrub form and has a strong taproot structure that can go to a depth of 80-100 cm, depending on climatic conditions. Thanks to this strong pile root structure, the plant can adapt to many arid regions of the world. As the plant ages, there are many branches that start to lignify from the bottom to the top, and on these branches there are leaves of 2-6 cm long, very short stems, grayish green, arranged opposite each other. Both sides of the leaves of the lavender plant are covered with cottony hairs containing essential oil.
Growing Lavender Plant
With its deep root structure, lavender has the ability to grow in low rainfall/arid regions where many essential oil plants cannot grow. However, extremely hot summers and mild winters are not suitable for commercial lavender production. Because while the extremely hot summers prevent growth and cause a decrease in yield and quality, the warm winter seasons cannot meet the cooling need of the plant in order to bloom abundantly in the summer period.
Harvesting Lavender
In order to obtain the desired yield and quality essential oil from the lavender plant, the harvest must be done on time. Harvest time varies depending on the climate of the regions where the production is made and the type of lavender used in production. However, when many studies are taken into account, it is seen that the most suitable harvest time is about 50% flowering period. Harvesting should be completed in a short time, starting when 50% of the plants bloom.
Obtaining Lavender Essential Oil and Lavender Hydroso (Water)
Lavender essential oil is mainly obtained by traditional distillation method. In this process, which is made with steam obtained at high temperature, lavender flowers cut from their stems are placed in boilers, the steam is passed through the plants, then this steam is cooled again and the essential oil and the water bearing the beneficial properties of the plant are separated from each other.
Drying Lavender Flowers
After harvest, lavender flowers should be taken directly to the essential oil plant and distilled. Lavender essential oil and lavender hydrosol with high economic value are obtained from distilled lavender flowers. If fresh flowers are to be dried, the flower stalks of lavender, which extend up to 15 cm, are laid in a shaded place to be dried in a thickness that will not cause heating, or they are formed into bunches and hung to be dried. If the drying process will be carried out in the drying room or cabinet, the drying temperature should be adjusted in a way that does not cause essential oil loss. Because with increasing drying temperatures, essential oil losses increase (Baydar and Nimet, 2013).
Efficiency in Lavender Growing
The most produced lavender type in the world is hybrid lavender (Lavandin or Lavandula hybrida). Lavandin essential oil obtained from this genus is over 1000 tons, while the total production amount of lavender oil obtained from Lavandula angustifolia is around 200 tons (Lesage - Meessen et al, 2018).
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