Our Lavender
Mt Airy Lavender, located in Coatesville, Pa., has over 2,000 Lavender Plants locally and organically grown in Chester County, Pa. We’re always experimenting with new varieties. Two Species of Lavender that we grow in Pennsylvania are Lavandula Intermedia and Lavandula angustifolia. We have many different varietals of each.
Want to learn more about lavender?
Mt Airy Lavender Products
Our products are made with Lavender Essential Oil distilled on the farm. In addition to its lovely fragrance, lavender is known for its calming and healing benefits. Lavender reduces stress and anxiety and promotes relaxation and sleep. Lavender is reported to speed up healing and improve acne and soothe sore muscles.
Did you know that it takes over one pound of lavender buds (flowers) to make one ounce of lavender essential oil? The distillation process produces lavender essential oil and lavender hydrosol which is commonly called Lavender Water.
Distilling Lavender to make Essential Oil
Our lavender is distilled in this copper still imported from Portugal. The distillation process starts with our organically grown lavender. Most of our lavender blooms in June and July and some varieties will continue to bloom throughout the summer. Once the lavender is fully in bloom, we harvest it into large bundles and hang it in our barn to dry. When we are ready to distill, we de-bud (remove each lavender flower) by rubbing the dried lavender on wire screens. The bottom of the still is filled with water and the buds (dried lavender flowers) are put into the column of the still without touching any water. We put the still over a propane flame and heat the water to boiling. The steam travels up through the column and circulates all around the lavender buds releasing the essential oil into the steam. The steam is cooled and the essential oil and lavender water is collected and used in our products.
The Many Benefits of Lavender
Lavender Essential Oil can be applied directly to the skin to heal, calm and soothe. We use Lavender Essential Oil in all of our spa, beauty and doggie products. With it's low PH, lavender hydrosol, sold as lavender calming spray, is great as a skin toner and can also be used as a linen spray.
Lavandula Angustifolia
Lavandula Angustifolia is commonly called English Lavender. It tends to grow to be 10-12 inches tall and most varieties bloom throughout the summer. This lavender maintains it’s color after being dried and is great for culinary and crafts. Our favorite varieties are Super Blue (pictured here), Hidcote, Royal Velvet and Big Time Blue.
Lavandula Intermedia
Lavandula Intermedia is sometimes called French Lavender. In France, it is called Lavandin. Lavandins grow to be 36 to 48” high and wide. With their strong fragrance they are widely used to make Essential Oil. We love our Grosso (pictured here) and Phenomenal varieties.