Pictures of Flowers Lavender Pictures and Lavender Kind

By Pictures of flowers

on February 22, 2009

Pictures of Flowers Lavender Pictures and Lavender Kind

Lavender is a genus of about 39 species of flowering plants in the mint family native to the Mediterranean region south to Tropical Africa and to the southeast regions of India. The genus includes annual herbaceous plants, sub-shrubs and small shrubs. Due to the ease in cross pollination, countless variations can be found within the lavender species. The plant is also cultivated widely in Canary Islands, North and South Africa, South Europe and Arabia.

Lavender grows from 3 to 4 feet height. Leaves are long, narrow and pale green. Pale purple flowers grow in clusters around the stem. Lavender shade comes from the pale purple shade of the flower. Dried flowers can keep their fragrance intact for long time. Most common true species of lavender is ‘Common Lavender’, which is mainly used for commercial cultivation because it is easy to cultivate and its flowers are bigger. Lavenders are most popular as garden flowers and for dried flower arrangements. Fragrant, pale purple flowers and flower buds are often used in potpourris. Dried flowers, sealed in pouches, are often placed among stored clothings to give a fresh fragrance and as a deterrent to moths. The plant is also grown commercially for extracting lavender oil from the lavender flowers, oil being used as antiseptic and in aromatherapy. Beekeepers plant the lavenders for producing high quality honey.