Floral phenology, nectar secretion dynamics and honey production potentials of two lavender species (Lavendula dentata, and L. pubescens) in southwestern Saudi Arabia

Journal Article

Al-Maktary, Nuru Adgaba*, Ahmad A. Al-Ghamdi, Yilma Tadesse, Awraris Getachew, Mohammad J. Aansari, Anwer . 2015

• المجلة \ الصحيفة: Journal of Apicultural Science
• رقم العدد: 1
• رقم الإصدار السنوي: 1
• الصفحات: 1-27

مستخلص المنشور

The majority of lavender species are indigenous to the mountainous regions of the western
Mediterranean countries, the islands of the Atlantic, Turkey, Pakistan and India (Chu and
Kemper, 2001). Moreover, they are native to northern, eastern and southern Africa; the Arabian
Peninsula; Bulgaria; and Russia (Boning, 2010).
Lavender species survive, and can thrive, in arid and semi-arid regions of the world, even in
areas threatened by desertification (Azcón and Barea, 1997), and it is known as extremely
drought resistant once established. Species of lavender prefer gravelly, slightly alkaline and
limestone-based soils (Boning, 2010), and certain species (Lavendula dentata and L. pubescens)
because of their thick branching from the base, are useful in soil erosion control.
Today, lavender species are extensively cultivated throughout the world, particularly in France,
Bulgaria, Russia, Italy, Spain, England, the USA, and Australia (Lalande, 1984; Boning, 2010).
They are grown commercially for the extraction of essential oils, which are used in perfumery, in
cosmetics, as ingredients in numerous cottage industry products, in food processing, as massage
products, as culinary herbs and as ornamental plants (Lis-Balchin, 2003). Certain types of
lavender oil have also been shown to have antimicrobial and antifungal properties (Chu and
Kemper, 2001; Lis-Balchin, 2003), and the oils from the plants are also widely used in
aromatherapy (Welsh, 1995; Lis-Balchin, 2003).