Lavender Organic

Botanical name: Lavendula angustafolia

Extraction method: steam distillation

Part of plant: flowers

Origin: France – certified organic

In this area there are two regulatory systems which help to define the quality of the oil.
These are the Organic Certification, (generally Ecocert) and the Appellation d’Origin Protogee (A.O.P.). These systems help ensure that the cultivated Lavender replicates as much as possible the qualities of the wild plant.

Organic certification ensures the plants are produced by natural methods without chemical fertilisers or herbicides etc.
To be awarded the A.O.P, the oil must be produced at high altitude in Provence, generally 800 metres above sea level. It must be skilfully distilled to produce the characteristic smell – sweet, rich and complex.
It must be reproduced from seeds collected off the wild plants from the region.

Only in France among the best producers are plants reproduced by seed rather than cuttings.
If you walk through a field smelling the flowers, each plant smells slightly different.
This gives the oil great richness and depth as the unique qualities of each individual plant contribute to the overall aroma.