Editing Lavandula (section)

=== Lavender oil ===
{{Redirect|Lavandin|the racehorse|Lavandin (horse)}}
{{Main|Lavender oil}}

Commercially, the plant is grown mainly for the production of lavender essential oil. English lavender (''[[Lavandula angustifolia]]'') yields an oil with sweet overtones and can be used in balms, salves, perfumes, cosmetics, and topical applications.<ref name="drugs" /> 

''Lavandula ''×'' intermedia'', also known as ''lavandin'' or ''Dutch lavender'', hybrids of ''[[Lavandula angustifolia|L.&nbsp;angustifolia]]'' and ''[[Lavandula latifolia|L.&nbsp;latifolia]]''.<ref>Mark Griffiths, ''Index of Garden Plants'' (Portland, Oregon: Timber Press, 1994. {{ISBN|0-333-59149-6}}),</ref> are widely cultivated for commercial use since their flowers tend to be bigger than those of English lavender and the plants tend to be easier to harvest.<ref>[[National Non-Food Crops Centre]]. [http://www.nnfcc.co.uk/metadot/index.pl?id=2409;isa=DBRow;op=show;dbview_id=2329 "Lavender"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091116052642/http://www.nnfcc.co.uk/metadot/index.pl?id=2409;isa=DBRow;op=show;dbview_id=2329|date=16 November 2009}}. Retrieved on 23 April 2009.</ref> They yield a similar essential oil, but with higher levels of [[terpene]]s, including [[camphor]], which add a sharper overtone to the fragrance, regarded by some as of lower quality than that of English lavender.

The US [[Food and Drug Administration]] considers lavender as [[generally recognized as safe]] for human consumption.<ref name="lactmed" /> The essential oil was used in hospitals during [[World War I]].<ref name="Grieve" />