What are the differences between true lavender, spike lavender and lavandin?
There are more than forty species of lavender. The most well-known are certainly true lavender (or fine lavender) and lavandin.
Lavender (Lavandula) is a genus of honey-producing plants that includes different species, each with its own varieties. This is why the term "lavender" is often used to refer both to true lavender and to lavandin.
Lavender is an aromatic, edible plant that primarily thrives in dry, calcareous soils with significant sun exposure. These plants grow mainly in the Mediterranean basin, including France, Spain, Bulgaria, Romania, Turkey, and even Ukraine.
True lavender (Lavandula angustifolia Mill.)
This species can be found under several names: officinal, fine or true. It is this lavender that has an AOP and an AOC for its essential oil. Among the conditions of these appellations is that the minimum altitude “for cultivation is 800 m, with a derogation at 600 m in the Diois region”. Altitude is one of the environmental characteristics that determines the growth of fine lavender, which is grown at altitudes of between 600m and 1400m.
The cultivation of this lavender developed in the 1920s, thanks to the development of the perfume industry in Grasse, which initially used wild lavender (Lavandula Angustifolia). True lavender then established itself in certain sectors, notably thanks to the quality of its essential oil. It is used mainly in pharmaceuticals, cosmetics and fine fragrances.
There are 2 types:
Population lavender: from seedlings (e.g. rapido, carla),
Clonal lavender: from cuttings (e.g. maillette, matheronne).
The yield of this species ranges from 15 kg/ha to 40 kg (appellations require a maximum yield of 25 kg/ha, clones that produce more being excluded).
Le lavandin (Lavandula angustifolia Mill. X Lavandula latifolia Medikus)
This species of lavender is the result of a natural hybridization between true lavender and spike lavender. It is widely cultivated in Provence, notably for its resistance to climate and disease, and for its yields when extracting essential oil. This species is grown at altitudes of between 200m and 1000m.
There are 4 varieties, whose names are sometimes used on finished products: abrial, grosso, sumian and super. The propagation of lavandin is based on cuttings, which also give lavandin fields the regularity that is part of their beauty.
Lavandin yields around 100 kg per hectare, 2 to 6 times more than Lavandula angustifolia Mill.
The spike lavender (Lavandula latifolia Medik.)
It was the marriage of this lavender with fine lavender that gave rise to the first experimental lavandin in a laboratory in Grasse in 1926. It generally grows at altitudes of between 200m and 700m.
It is found in several geographical areas:
France,
Spain,
Southern England,
Pyrenees,
and Catalonia.
Spain is the leading producer of aspic lavender.
Aspic flowers are distinguished by their violet-blue color, which is darker than that of fine lavender. The plant can measure between 30cm and 80cm and produces sparse spikes spread over several floors.
At Terre Ugo, we grow 3 hectares of organic lavender. Much of our production is used in the manufacture of quality local products available in our boutique. You'll find lavender sachets, soaps, organic lavender essential oil, decorative items, dried lavender bouquets, herbal teas and many other products made in Provence.