Evaluation of the possibilities for cultivation of lavender (Lavandula x intermedia) in Bulgaria

During the period 2019-2023, at the Institute for roses and aromatic plants – Kazanlak, a study was made of introduced collection specimens of the species Lavandula x intermedia - Super, Abrial and Grosso from France and lavenders with numbers 3, 4, 5 and 6 selected in Russia Federation. Observations were made on the growth and development of young plants and the values of the main morphological indicators were determined in the first year of the period of full flowering. Vigorous growth was recorded in the initial stages after planting and no damage from low temperatures and drought was noted. The yield of fresh inflorescences in all origins varies from 0.374 to 0.592 kg per plant and essential oil content in them from 0.87 to 2.19%. Research on the chemical composition showed an extreme diversity in the main components – 1.8 cineole from 8 to 15%, cis-β-ocimene from 1 to 5%, trans-β-ocimene from 0.6 to 5%, linalool from 27 to 49%, camphor from 2 to 12%, terpinen-4-ol from 0.2 to 7% and linalyl acetate from 6 to 28%. From the conducted research, we found that lavender can be effectively cultivated in the conditions of Bulgaria, and from the Grosso variety, an essential oil of very high quality can be obtained, meeting the standard ISO 8902-2009 for the French type of lavender oil "Grosso".