We’re almost there, just a few more weeks and the Oltrepò Pavese will be coloured a brilliant lilac by fields of lavender in bloom. Lavender has always brought back memories of Provence, but for some years now we have not needed to travel so many kilometres to admire the extraordinary spectacle of the flowering of this medicinal herb.
Lavender flowers on average from mid-June until the first week of July. In this period it expresses all its charm, also changing the appearance of the area, making it unique.
Lavender is first and foremost a medicinal herb used in the herbal field for the preparation of various natural medicinal remedies. It is suitable for treating insomnia because of its sedative and relaxing properties, it is an excellent antispasmodic for asthma sufferers and respiratory problems, extracting its essential oils, it is a delicious natural perfume for laundry that is also used to keep moths away from clothing, and it also enters the production cycle of cosmetic products.
In recent years, studies have also brought to light the properties of the green parts of lavender (jets and leaves), which are not normally used for distillation but whose high eucalyptus and camphor content can be used in agriculture against aphids and fungal pathogenic microorganisms, especially in organic crops.
The Oltrepò Pavese portal lists the producers and recommends a few stops in the vicinity. By contacting the companies it is possible to organise visits to the lavender fields and meet the growers, who will be happy to explain the vegetative cycle of this fascinating medicinal plant.
