22: 5 Species of Lavender - Botanical Names Explained!

 In this episode of the Aromatic Wisdom Podcast, Liz dives into the fascinating world of Lavender taxonomy and nomenclature, explaining the differences between several species of Lavender plants and their essential oils. 

You'll learn why  Latin names matter, how to identify each lavender species, and what makes their chemistry and therapeutic benefits unique. 

Enjoy the podcast!  It is my sincere hope that you will feel inspired to explore essential oils deeper after listening and learn what is possible for your health and well-being when you include aromatherapy into your life.

What You Will Learn in This Episode

• The meaning of taxonomy and nomenclature and why they’re essential in aromatherapy.
• The structure of Latin binomials (genus and species) and how to read essential oil labels professionally.
• How different species of lavender—Lavandula angustifolia, Lavandula latifolia, Lavandula stoechas, Lavandula intermedia, and Lavandula x spica—differ in chemistry, aroma, and use.
• Why using Latin names ensures you’re working with the correct essential oil for therapeutic purposes.
• Insights into Lavandula x spica, a rare lavender grown in Crete with unusually high 1,8-cineole content.
• A real-life “Smell My Life” story about how Ylang Ylang (Cananga odorata forma genuina) helped a student lower high blood pressure.

Resource Links

• Aromatic Wisdom Institute Blog Post on Taxonomy and Nomenclature
  
  
• The Lavender Way – Jill and Derek Pierce’s Lavender Farm in Crete
  
  
• The Genus Lavandula by Upson and Andrews (book reference)
• Podcast Show Notes for Episode 22

Transcript

Liz Fulcher
Clinical Aromatherapist
Aromatherapy Educator
Aromatic Wisdom Institute
Aromatic Wisdom Podcast Episode #22

5 Species of Lavender – Botanical Names Explained!

This is the Aromatic Wisdom Podcast, Episode 22. Today’s show is all about the names that we call Lavender.  What are the different species? What are the differences between the oils that are produced by the different  plant species?

You’re listening to the Aromatic Wisdom Podcast with your host, Liz Fulcher.   If you’re interested in learning about Essential Oils, hearing interviews with industry experts, and discovering  ways to grow your own Aromatherapy business, this is the podcast for you.

For more information and show notes, visit the website at www.AromaticWisdomInstitute.com. 

Now sit back.
Relax. Take a deep breath and enjoy as Liz shares a dose of Aromatic Wisdom.

Hi, Everyone! It is so great to be back. My name is Liz Fulcher and I am a clinical aromatherapist and I have been practicing the art and science of aromatherapy for nearly 25 years; it will be 25 years in May. I am your host for the Aromatic Wisdom Podcast. I have a great show for you today. I am very excited to talk about Lavender. 

All right! How is everyone?  Today is March 24 and spring has sprung! I know not everywhere! My brotherin-law lives in Colorado and they are under with snow; I have a lot of friends out there just buried in the snow
and we’ve got flowers coming up and the birds are singing and the sun is shining! I live in Central
Pennsylvania and so I am very grateful that I can go outside now without a coat.
It seems like a good time, since it’s just before Easter weekend to talk about Lavender and so that is what we’re
going to cover today: all about Lavender, the plants that produce different species of Lavender and the essential
oils that come from those plants, and how different those essential oils are from each other.
Today’s episode is about the taxonomy of plant nomenclature and will be generally full of botanical speak—
don’t run away! Come back, come back! I’m going to admit that I am a bit of a geek when it comes to plant
names. I love saying them and I am sure it’s because I speak Italian. The plant names are based in Latin and
Italian is based in Latin and a lot of the words are very similar. But it is mostly a lot of fun to say like Citrus
paradisi or Foeniculum vulgare or Lavendula angustifolia. I feel like I’m speaking Italian. And when my
students get the pronunciation right it’s just so stinkin’ cute. It’s really important to understand, for an
aromatherapist and an herbalist, as much as we can about the plants that produce our essential oils. Once you
understand the plant names it’s going to ensure that you know you are using the right oil for the job. I’ll be
talking about that in a little bit.
When you hear the term “plant taxonomy” or “plant nomenclature”—what does that even mean? We’re going
to start with the word taxonomy.
Taxonomy: Basically taxonomy is the science of naming things. It’s the science of naming, describing, and
classifying plants, animals, and microorganisms--all organic things in the world. It’s a system where “like”