Lavender Cotton, Lavender And A DIY Lavender Salve

When we bought our “casita” three years ago we were very lucky that the previous owners had planted a few different herbs in the garden. Some I hadn’t realised till recently what they were, the lemongrass (“limoncillo”) I discovered when I was pruning it one day and suddenly the citrus smell was so strong I knew it wasn’t just a load of long grassy leaves! A quick search online and I had my answer.

Others we already knew what they were and have looked after them since being here. Rosemary (“romero”), thyme (“tomillo”) and lavender (“lavanda or espliego”) were the main three and we’ve since added quite a few different ones in any spare piece of land we can find. They have so many uses and also attract a variety of pollinators, bees included.

One of the herbs we planted ourselves is Lavender Cotton (“Santolina” or “Manzanilla Amarga”). It isn’t related to the lavender plant we all know. When Pep pointed it out to me in the garden centre I thought it had one of the most vile fragrances possible for an aromatic herb. I couldn’t believe Pep liked the smell. When I rubbed my fingers along the greyish green stems and leaves it gave off an incredibly pungent aroma, almost knocking me back. I have since grown accustomed to it and I actually quite like it now.

In late spring to early summer beautiful small yellow flowers appear, attracting all sorts of insects. The flowers are very similar to the ones on the local wild chamomile plants you see in the mountains. I decided to investigate, knowing it had to have a long list of benefits and uses.

A tea made from the flowers can treat PMS, intestinal parasites, digestive problems, muscle spasms, etc. When cool, it can be used as an eye bath for conjunctivitis and eye irritation, much the same as chamomile tea.

Externally, rubbing the leaves on your skin can help protect you from insect bites and stings and also relieve the pain if it’s too late and the bugs have already made a meal of you. They do say to be careful with the leaves if you have sensitive skin, they could bring you out in a rash. If you’re pregnant or breastfeeding it’s best to consult with your doctor before using this herb.

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Around the middle of June I picked a few flowers and hung them to dry for a few days. Once they had dried nicely I stored them in a glass jar and use a few for infusions every now and then (4 to 8 flowers per cup is fine). Also, when making a litre of herbal tea using lemon verbena and spearmint I add a few “Santolina” flowers for it’s health benefits. This infusion I allow to cool and store in the fridge for a refreshing drink, along with a squeeze of lemon juice. You can add sweetener to taste if you prefer.

Lavender is a wonderful herb with a divine fragrance. It too has many benefits, from calming headaches to easing anxiety, helping with depression, insomnia and mental health problems. Here’s a link to a page explaining some of the aromatic herb’s benefits.

I like to use the flowers in lavender lemonade (recipe here) and also add a few drops of lavender essential oil to the magnesium oil I make to ease restless leg syndrome and help with a good night’s sleep (how to make the magnesium oil here). Don’t ingest lavender essential oil though, it can be quite dangerous.

This spring I dried loads of lavender flowers for use in a lavender infused oil. The oil can be used for restless legs, rubbing on itchy mosquito bites or rubbing into flaky scalps, also for making salves, lotions, etc, the reason why I wanted to make the oil.

To make the oil, place the dried flowers in a jar and cover them with olive oil (you can also use sweet almond oil). I put the jar in a dark cupboard for 8 weeks, shaking the jar every few days. When the 8 weeks were up I strained the oil, squeezing as much of the oil out of the flowers as poss. Once strained, transfer to a glass bottle or jar and store in a dark place.

To make the salve you’ll need 100ml of the lavender infused oil plus 15 grams of beeswax. Put both the ingredients in a glass jar and place in a saucepan filled with 1 inch of water over a low heat until the beeswax has melted, stirring frequently. It took a few minutes to completely melt.

Once the beeswax had melted I stirred in a few drops of lavender essential oil to add a relaxing aroma, then poured it all into a small glass jar. As it cools it will harden up. The salve can also be used for restless legs and insect bites, as well as rubbing on tired muscles or feet and massaging on your temples if you have a headache. (Here is the link to the page where I learnt how to make the oil and salve along with other uses for lavender and lavender infused oil).

Yesterday evening I was attacked by a tiger (of the mosquito kind). I came out in quite a few itchy red bumps all along my legs and feet. I rubbed the lavender salve all over the mosi bites and 2 to 3 minutes later the itchiness had completely gone and the bumps had reduced tremendously in size. I’ll now carry a pot with me wherever I go!

I find great pleasure in having a garden full of herbs and learning about their uses and benefits, the list is often endless. Most of the Mediterranean herbs are quite hardy and easy to care for (trust me on this) and well worth having around.

Right, I’ll be off. Think we’re going for a picnic by the beach tonight so best start getting some food ready. Thanks so much for reading. If you have any suggestions or questions please feel free to get in touch. You can do this either in the comment section below or on the contact us page here. Take care. See you soon. Love Georgie and Pep xxx