Lavender, Queen of Herbs Trivia Quiz

Answer: Lipped flowers, stems with square cross-section

Labiatae include many of the common garden herbs, such as rosemaries, thymes and sages as well as the many different species of lavender and lavandin. Many, but not all of these, are aromatic to some degree. Flower coloring ranges widely, and includes white, pink, red through to the predominant blues and purples.

Answer: Bulgaria

For many years France and England have been considered to be the largest producers of lavenders, but in the 21st century these have been surpassed by Bulgaria, which had never been a significant producer in the past. Many countries are now producing commercial quantities of lavender and its oils for cosmetics, herbal medicines and aromatherapy.

Answer: Insomnia, anxiety and headache

Many herbal practitioners incorporate lavender in their products, using it to treat anything from hair loss to wound healing. While many of the claims for this herb lack scientific rigor, it is undoubtedly helpful in reducing anxiety and helping tense people to relax.

The founders of the natural skincare company, Jurlique, told me that they only allowed their staff to work for 45 minutes maximum in their "lavender room", as they became drowsy and less alert (not good, when combined with machinery).

Answer: Falls by elderly residents

Believe it or not, patches infused with lavender oil (replaced daily) were found to significantly reduce falls by elderly residents in three nursing homes, compared with a control group who were given untreated patches. It is thought that there are several factors at play here, including reducing agitation levels and also the documented benefits of lavender to the sense of balance.

Source: American Botanical Council, review of Sakamoto Y, Ebihara S, Ebihara T, et al. Fall prevention using olfactory stimulation with lavender odor in elderly nursing home residents: a randomized controlled trial. J Am Geriatr Soc. 2012;60(6):1005-1011.

Answer: Lavandula x intermedia, Lavandula angustifolia

The Lavandin variety Lavandula x intermedia is a hybrid cross between L. angustifolia and latifolia. Bred for its high yield of oil, which is slightly inferior in quality to angustifolia, it has been used extensively in commercial lavender crops.

Despite a slightly lower yield, L. angustifolia remains a popular favourite, mainly because of the higher quality of its oil.

Answer: Canary Island lavender

Lavandula canariensis or Canary Island lavender, as its name suggests, originates on those islands off the coast of North Western Africa.

The shrub takes a few years to harden off, being vulnerable to frosts while young. It has a delicate ferny appearance, but is a hardy survivor which grows on exposed rocky outcrops in its native island home. Some gardeners, however, find it difficult to raise, and liable to frost damage.

Answer: To provide food for foraging bees

This question is more relevant to those of us who enjoy milder winters, as in areas which experience lengthy icy conditions in winter, bees will not fly, nor will lavender be in flower.

However in more temperate climates, such as in Australia, bees will fly and forage once the temperature rises to 13C (as it does on most days of the year). Lavenders and their cousins, the rosemaries, remain in bloom for most of the winter months, often being the only visible flowers at that time.

Bees and butterflies find nearly all lavenders irresistible when in flower, and honey derived from lavender has a wonderful flavour. Trust me, I'm a bee-keeper. :)

Answer: English lavender

L. angustifolia is often called True or Common Lavender. Its highly prized oil is generally regarded as the best quality of those in commercial use. It is a robust bush in its natural form, but there are now many cultivars which provide attractive and fragrant borders. Next time you see a lavender edging your route, brush against it to release its soothing fragrance.

Answer: French lavender

French lavender is a native of the Mediterranean and the Arabian peninsula. Its Latin name, dentata, refers to its notched or toothed leaves.

Although it is still used extensively in commercial lavender oil production, during the late 20th Century and into the 21st Century, the cultivation of both L. x intermedia and L. angustifolia have far outstripped that of L. dentata.

Answer: "Feathers" or "ears" sprouting from the top of each flower

Many of the L. stoechas and L. pedunculata sub-species have the most amazing plumed bracts sprouting from the top of each flower. In massed plantings they form an impressive bank of colour, usually displaying two complementary tones, such as blue and purple, pink and white, etc.

They are the most showy of the lavenders, and lavender in general is one of the few plants shunned by rabbits in Australia.