Lavender Flowers (Lavandula angustifolia, flos)
Medicinal Profile of
Lavender Flowers
(Lavandula angustifolia, flos)
Lavender flowers are among the most beloved aromatic nervines in both traditional European and modern herbal practice. Their light, dispersive, and relaxing nature makes them useful for nervous tension, digestive upset linked to anxiety, headaches, and mild insomnia. Unlike the heavier root, the flowers are aromatic, circulating, and relaxing, with a gentle drying quality that balances excess moisture without overly depleting.
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👉 Tastes describe the initial impression a food or herb leaves on the tongue, and they reveal its deeper actions in the body, shaping digestion, circulation, and tissue response.
Bitter – Stimulating, clears heat, supports digestion.
Aromatic/Pungent – Circulating, disperses stagnation, uplifts mood.
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👉Qualities describe the felt nature of a remedy or practice, and how it acts in the body beyond nutrients or chemistry. They are the inherent biocharacteristics.
Slightly Drying (through mild astrigency) – Tones lax tissues, helps reduce dampness.
Relaxing – Releases nervous tension, calms overstimulation.
Circulating – Moves blood and energy, clears mild stagnation.
Light/Aromatic – Uplifts, disperses heavy mood states.
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Infusion (Tea) – 1–2 tsp dried flowers per cup of hot water; steep 5–10 minutes, covered, to preserve volatile oils. Used for calming the nerves, digestion, and sleep support.
Glycerite – Made with fresh or dried flowers; gentle alcohol-free extract suitable for children or sensitive individuals. Used for nervous tension, restlessness, and mild digestive upset.
Infused Oil – Flowers infused in a carrier oil (like olive or jojoba) for 2–4 weeks; applied topically for burns, rashes, or massage.
Compress – A cloth soaked in strong lavender tea or diluted essential oil blend, applied to burns, swellings, or irritated skin.
Inhalation – A few drops of essential oil in steam or a diffuser; used for relaxation, sleep, headaches, or respiratory tension.
Culinary Use – Flowers used sparingly in baked goods, teas, or spice blends (floral and slightly bitter).
Affinities, Indicated Patterns & Dosage
👉 Indicated patterns describe the functional state of the body and its organs and/or tissues, showing whether they are dry, atrophied, too damp (pressure), stagnant, lax, inflammed, sluggish, tense or underactive. The Primary Indicated Pattern is the main state where this remedy works best. Secondary Indicated Pattern(s) are the secondary states where the remedy can still help, but not as strongly or directly. These patterns often develop over time when the primary state goes unaddressed.
👉Affinities are the organ systems and tissues where the remedy acts most strongly.
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Laxity (Primary Indicated Pattern) – The tissues have lost tone. They can’t hold fluids or function tightly, which leads to leakage. In the digestive system, this can look like watery diarrhea (fluid leakage), reflux (acid leakage), or leaky gut (weakened intestinal barrier).
Dosage
Tea: 1–2 tsp dried flowers per cup, steep 5–10 min, 1–2x daily.
Glycerite: 1–2 mL with meals, up to 2x daily.
Dosages are general guidelines. Individual response may vary depending on overall physiological state.
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Excitation (Secondary) – When tissues or systems are overstimulated, “wired,” or overly reactive. This can show up as irritability, restlessness, insomnia, spasms, stress hormone overdrive, disrupted sleep cycles, nervous palpitations, or a fluttery heart tied to anxiety.
Dosage
Tea: 1–2 tsp dried flowers per cup, steep 5–10 min, up to 3x daily.
Glycerite: 1–2 mL up to 3x daily.Excitation (Secondary Pattern) – When tissues or systems are overstimulated, “wired,” or overly reactive. This can show up as irritability, restlessness, insomnia, spasms, stress hormone overdrive, disrupted sleep cycles, nervous palpitations, or a fluttery heart tied to anxiety.
Dosages are general guidelines. Individual response may vary depending on overall physiological state.
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Laxity + Local Irritation – When tissues leak or ooze, leading to damp rashes, weepy eczema, or minor burns.
Dosage
Diluted Essential Oil: 1–2 drops in carrier oil, applied as needed.
Infused Oil/Compress: apply directly to affected area 1–2x daily.
Dosages are general guidelines. Individual response may vary depending on overall physiological state.
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Excitation with spasm or irritation – When tissues are overstimulated, tight, or reactive. This can show up as spasms, cramping, twitching, nervous coughs, or airway tension (nervous asthma).
Dosage
Steam Inhalation: 1–2 drops essential oil in a bowl of hot water, inhale vapor for 5–10 min.
Diffusion: 3–5 drops essential oil in diffuser for 30–60 min.
Chest Rub (diluted): 1–2 drops essential oil in 1 tsp carrier oil, apply to chest as needed.
Dosages are general guidelines. Individual response may vary depending on overall physiological state.
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👉 Medicinal actions describe the specific ways a food influences organ systems and body functions.
Nervous System
Nervine Relaxant – Calms anxiety, eases restlessness, supports sleep.
Mild Sedative – Helps reduce overstimulation and nervous excitation.
Digestive System
Carminative – Relieves gas, bloating, and nervous indigestion.
Antispasmodic – Eases cramping.
Circulatory System
Circulatory Relaxant – Relieves tension, reduces nervous palpitations.
Integumentary System
Antimicrobial (topical) – Essential oil applied externally inhibits growth of bacteria and fungi.
Wound-Healing (topical) – Essential oil promotes healing of minor burns, cuts, and insect bites.
Anti-Inflammatory (topical) – Reduces redness and irritation when applied in diluted form.
Deodorant (topical) – Volatile oils counteract odor-causing microbes.
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👉 Constituents are the natural compounds in a food that give rise to its actions in the body.
Volatile oils (1–3%) – Linalool, linalyl acetate, cineole (eucalyptol), camphor, borneol, terpinen-4-ol, lavandulyl acetate → primary relaxing, antispasmodic, antimicrobial actions.
Flavonoids – Apigenin, luteolin, quercetin → antioxidant, tissue-soothing, anti-inflammatory.
Coumarins – Umbelliferone, herniarin, scopoletin → circulatory and calming effects.
Tannins – Polyphenolic compounds that provide astringency, drying, and mild antimicrobial activity.
Triterpenes – Ursolic acid, oleanolic acid → anti-inflammatory, tissue-healing support.
Phenolic acids – Rosmarinic acid, caffeic acid → antioxidant, antimicrobial, stabilizing.
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Tea (infusion): 2nd Degree – Gentle nervine, digestive carminative, mild circulatory relaxant.
Glycerite Extract (1:5): 2nd–3rd Degree – More concentrated delivery of bitter, nervine, and relaxing actions, useful for anxiety, insomnia, or nervous digestion.
Essential Oil (topical/inhaled): 3rd Degree – Strongest form; volatile oils act quickly on nervous, respiratory, and integumentary systems.
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May potentiate sedatives or sleep medications.
Essential oil may interfere with iron absorption if taken internally in excess (not generally recommended).
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Generally safe at normal doses.
Essential oil should be diluted before topical use; avoid ingestion unless supervised.
Safe in pregnancy and children in moderate tea doses; avoid concentrated essential oil internally.
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Traditional Sources
Culpeper, N. (1652). The English Physician. (Notes lavender’s use as a calming and digestive tonic.)
Felter, H. W., & Lloyd, J. U. (1898). King’s American Dispensatory. (Mentions lavender root as less common but grounding compared to the flowers.)
Modern Sources
Bone, K., & Mills, S. (2013). Principles and Practice of Phytotherapy (2nd ed.). Churchill Livingstone.
Cavanagh, H. M. A., & Wilkinson, J. M. (2002). “Biological activities of lavender essential oil.” Phytotherapy Research, 16(4), 301–308.
Lis-Balchin, M., & Hart, S. (1999). “Studies on the mode of action of the essential oil of lavender (Lavandula angustifolia).” Phytotherapy Research, 13(6), 540–542.
