Lavender
(Lavandula officinalis)

Description: A perennial plant with stems, 1-2 feet tall. It is gray-green, angular, with flaking bark. Gray-green leaves are opposite, sessile, downy, lanceolate to oblong-linear. The lilac colored, tubular flowers are arranged in successive whorls up the stem. It is cultivated for the aromatic flowers and grows best on light soil, sand or gravel, in dry, open, full sun, with good drainage.

Medicinal: It is a antispasmodic, carminative, chologogue, diuretic, sedative, stimulant, stomachic, and tonic. The leaves and flowers are used for gas, migraine headache, fainting, dizziness, bacteria in the intestines, stomach problems, nausea and vomiting. It is normally used in the form of an oil, distilled with water from the flowers. A decoction of the leaves can be used, instead. Steep 1 teaspoon leaves, gathered before the flowers appear, to 1/2 cup water for 5 min. Take 1/2-1 cup a day.