Talk:Lavender

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Lavender is included in the 2007 Wikipedia for Schools, or is a candidate for inclusion in future versions. Please maintain high quality standards, and make an extra effort to include free images, because non-free images cannot be used on the CDs.

This image might be useful in this article especially cine it looks distinctly different than the other images... thumb — マイケル ₪ 02:53, Dec 21, 2004 (UTC)

It isn't a lavender - MPF 00:41, 23 May 2005 (UTC)
(New pic with same name as old deleted pic is now a lavender) MPF 00:33, 22 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] History only

Have put in a history which is referenced to my site as I wrote it and obviously I don't mind it being used. However, I have left the external link for my article rather than simply copy the growing advice etc over as it will be in danger of simply being a copy of my page. Hope this makes sense and is ok Andham2000 11:56, 4 May 2005 (UTC)

I've done an extensive edit to the history section to add links and reword where I felt it needed rewording. I wouldn't mind if you chose to carry over the edits to your own page. :-) - Blake's Star 02:41, 18 December 2005 (UTC)

Sorry I had to correct your spelling errors. I hope you do not mind.

[edit] Etymology

Does anyone know if the name lavender has any relation to the English word launder? I've often wondered if the plant's traditional uses in cleaning have had anything to do with its name, c.f. lavar in Spanish for "to wash". Eiríkr Útlendi 09:34, 18 December 2005 (UTC)

The OED has a paragraph discussing that very question. They consider the washing etymology unlikely, but don't seem to have any alternate theory they like better. Stan 14:26, 18 December 2005 (UTC)
My botanical dictionary accepts it as being of Latin origin - "From Lat. lavo, I wash; lavender water, made from oil of lavender, has long been used as a fragrant wash". I don't see any problem with this, plenty of plants have their names derived from classical Latin. - MPF 20:37, 18 December 2005 (UTC)
OED goes on about this at some length, with references to "sense-developement", and an observation that the earliest-seen spelling is livendula, which connects to quite different meanings. It's clearly a troubling issue for them, most of their etymologies don't include quite so much discussion. Makes me wonder if there's a research paper on the question somewhere... Stan 06:59, 19 December 2005 (UTC)
Had a look, see what you mean. Maybe best left as unknown then - MPF 14:27, 19 December 2005 (UTC)

To MPF: I don't understand the reason to link to Wiki pages about "July 4th" and "2006" in an article about lavender. I originally put the date in (unlinked) so readers would know when the Washington Post article was published. Wiki style policy specifically says not to put extraneous links into articles. If there is something I'm missing here, please advise. --Catawba 22:40, 20 July 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Nardus?

The sentence calling it nardus (in the history section) is a bit misleading. While the word was used to describe any fragrant grass, the usual meaning was the unrelated plant nard Nardostachys jatamansi.

The origin of the Nardus quote: (Dr. Fernie's book, 1985) as written now in the History references. So you claim Nard was used in greek to depict a different plant. What is your reference? That is interesting because in modern Hebrew we also have a different plant connected with the biblicle "Nerd" (the word in Hebrew is simply pronounced NERD, no "Stoke" mentioned), but still we have no explanation for the herb used in the Temple's holy essence called "Shibolet Nerd" or "Nerd Stalk".
The city of Naarda, was pronounced Nehar D'Ah in most Talmudic quotes, but that perhaps refers to a Hebrew play on words meaning River (Nehar) of knowledge (De-Ah). As far as I know, there is no archeological finding or knowledge on the exact location of this city, except that it was on a canal between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers (so either in the Baghdad area, or near Basra).
Back to your questions: Dr Fernie himself says that Nardus later (in Roman times) came to mean any kind of fragrant grass.
So it still could have originally meant this plant, and then changed its meaning to general fragrant herbs.
And perhaps the "Nard Stalk" is in fact the Lavandula stoechas Pashute (talk) 17:16, 24 April 2008 (UTC)