...
B&B Family Farm Logo
Search

Lavender Distillation: How Lavender Essential Oil Is Made

Lavender Distillation: essential oil is produced through a process called steam distillation. During distillation, steam passes through freshly harvested lavender flowers and releases aromatic compounds stored in the plant’s oil glands. The steam and oil vapor are then cooled and separated into lavender essential oil and lavender hydrosol (floral water).

 

At B&B Family Lavender Farm in Sequim, Washington, lavender is harvested during the summer bloom and distilled shortly afterward to capture the fragrance of the flowers.

What Is Steam Distillation?

Steam distillation is the most common method used to extract essential oils from plants.

The process works by heating water to produce steam. The steam passes through lavender flowers and carries the aromatic oil molecules with it. When the vapor cools, the oil and water separate naturally.

Steam distillation is widely used for aromatic plants including lavender, peppermint, eucalyptus, and rosemary.

Lavender Distillation: How Lavender Essential Oil Is Made

Step-by-Step Lavender Distillation Process

1. Harvesting the Lavender

Lavender is harvested when the flowers are fully open and the oil content is at its highest.

 

The stems are cut and transported to the still shortly after harvest to preserve aroma and oil quality.

Tip:

Once lavender reaches full bloom there is usually a fairly large harvest window. The main thing to avoid is waiting too long—once the flowers begin drying and the buds start falling off the stems, oil quality and yield can decline.

After cutting, the lavender is transported to the still to be processed.

2. Loading the Still

The lavender is packed tightly into the distillation chamber with a steaming screen separating water from the plant material  before the still is sealed.

Packing the still tightly ensures that steam rises uniformly through the plant material during distillation. If there are gaps or open pockets in the load, the steam will travel through those spaces instead of passing through the lavender flowers.

By packing the chamber firmly, the steam is forced to move evenly through the plant material, helping extract the aromatic oils more efficiently.

Loading the Copper Alembic Still-2

3.Steam Passes Through the Flowers

The lavender is packed tightly into the distillation chamber before the still is sealed.

Packing the still tightly ensures that steam rises uniformly through the plant material during distillation. If there are gaps or open pockets in the load, the steam will travel through those spaces instead of passing through the lavender flowers.

By packing the chamber firmly, the steam is forced to move evenly through the plant material, helping extract the aromatic oils more efficiently.

Lavender Distillation

4. Cooling the Vapor

The steam and oil vapor move into a condenser, which is cooled by circulating water.

 

As the vapor cools, it condenses back into liquid. This liquid contains both lavender essential oil and water.

5. Separating Oil and Hydrosol

The condensed liquid flows into a separatory funnel, where the essential oil and water separate naturally.

Because lavender essential oil does not mix with water and has a different density, the two layers divide on their own. The essential oil collects in one layer while the lavender hydrosol forms the other.

 

The separatory funnel allows the oil to be carefully drawn off and collected separately from the hydrosol.

Lavender Distilling

How Long Lavender Distillation Takes

A typical lavender distillation run takes 1 to 3 hours, depending on the size of the still and the amount of plant material used.

 

Most of the essential oil is collected during the early portion of the distillation process.

Essential Oil Copper Alembic Still

How Much Lavender Is Needed to Produce Essential Oil

Lavender essential oil is highly concentrated, and large amounts of plant material are required to produce even small quantities of oil.

Oil yield varies depending on the species of lavender and growing conditions.

In general:

  • Lavandin varieties produce higher oil yields

  • English lavender (Lavandula angustifolia) produces less oil but is often considered higher quality for fragrance

Lavender Essential Oil Uses

Equipment Used in Lavender Distillation

Several pieces of equipment are used during the distillation process:

Still (Pot in picture)
The chamber where lavender is loaded and steam passes through the plant material.

Boiler / Burner
Heats water to create the steam used for distillation.

Condenser
A cooling system that condenses the steam and oil vapor back into liquid.

Separator (Separatory Funnel)
Separates essential oil from hydrosol after condensation.

Many distillers prefer copper stills because copper helps remove unwanted sulfur compounds and can improve the final aroma of the oil.

Lavender Distillation Equipment

Products Produced During Lavender Distillation

Lavender distillation produces two primary products

Lavender Essential Oil

A concentrated aromatic oil commonly used in:

  • aromatherapy

  • skincare

  • soaps

  • perfumes

  • household products

Lavender Oil Difuser

Lavender Hydrosol

Hydrosol is the fragrant floral water produced during distillation.

It contains small amounts of lavender oil and water-soluble plant compounds and is commonly used as:

 

  • facial mist

  • linen spray

  • room spray

  • skincare ingredient

Lavender Hydrosol

Lavender Distillation Season in Sequim

Lavender distillation typically takes place during the summer harvest season in Sequim, when lavender fields are in full bloom.

The Sequim-Dungeness Valley is known as the Lavender Capital of North America due to its unique rain-shadow climate, which provides ideal growing conditions for lavender.

During harvest season, farms across the valley cut lavender and begin distilling the flowers into essential oil and hydrosol.

Visitors exploring lavender farms in Sequim during the summer may have the opportunity to see lavender being harvested or distilled.

15 Best Things to Do in Sequim, Washington

Lavender Distillation at B&B Family Lavender Farm

At B&B Family Lavender Farm in Sequim, lavender is harvested from the fields during the summer bloom and distilled on-site.

Distilling lavender soon after harvest helps preserve the fragrance of the flowers and produces small-batch essential oil and hydrosol.

Visitors to the farm during the harvest season may have the opportunity to see the distillation process in action.

Lavender Distillation FAQs

Lavender distillation uses steam to extract essential oil from the plant. The steam passes through the lavender, carrying the oil with it, then cools and separates into oil and water.

Hydrosol is the fragrant water left over after distillation. It contains small amounts of lavender oil and is often used for skincare or room sprays.

It takes a large amount of lavender to produce a small amount of oil, which is why pure lavender essential oil is relatively expensive.

Steam distillation passes steam through the plant, while hydrodistillation involves boiling the plant in water. Both methods extract essential oil using heat.

Lavender is typically harvested just before full bloom, when oil content and quality are at their peak.

Learn More About Lavender

Visit B&B Family Lavender Farm

If you're visiting Sequim during lavender season, B&B Family Lavender Farm offers a relaxed, less crowded experience with wide open fields and handcrafted lavender products.

Get Directions
Shop Lavender Products