Valerian

Valerian: how do you recognise it?

Habit

Perennial with a leaf rosette and upright, hollow, grooved flower stems up to 1.5 m tall; about 50 cm wide.

Leaves

Pinnate, with many narrow, smooth-edged or coarsely toothed leaflets; dark green.

Flowers

Small pale pink to white flowers in broad, rounded clusters at the stem tips from June to August; sweetly scented.

Roots

A short rootstock with many fine roots and sometimes short runners. They smell strongly, unpleasantly to many people.

Seed

Small, with a feathery crown that lets the wind carry it.

Flowering: June–August · Harvest and fruit: September–October · Sowing: April–May · Plants: March–April and September–October · Pruning: March and August

Why grow it?

• Native and valuable for bees, hoverflies and butterflies from June to August.
• Tall and airy: it adds height to a border without looking heavy.
• It thrives in damp places such as a pond edge or a wet corner, where many other plants struggle.
• Sweetly scented flowers, most noticeable on warm summer evenings.
• Easy and robust: few diseases and fully hardy.

Valerian: where does it grow best?

• Sun to partial shade.
• Any fertile soil: sand, loam or clay, acid to chalky.
• Moist to wet: it likes a cool, damp soil and copes poorly with prolonged drought.
• A sheltered spot stops the tall stems from blowing over.
• Allow 40–50 cm between plants.

Light

Sun and partial shade

Soil type

Sand, loam or clay

Acidity

Not fussy

Moisture

Normal or wet

Size

1.5 m tall, 0.5 m wide

Hardiness

Hardy (to -30 °C)

Goes well with

• Purple loosestrife: A native partner with purple spikes for the same moist soil.
• Meadowsweet: Creamy, scented plumes, and it also loves wet feet.
• Hemp agrimony: A native butterfly plant with pink flower heads for a damp border.
• Yellow flag: Along the pond edge, flowering in May–June, just before the valerian.

Valerian: when and how to plant it?

Plant in March–April and September–October.

1. Plant in March–April or in September–October.
2. Dig a hole slightly larger than the root ball and mix in some compost.
3. Set the plant at the same depth as it was in the pot, 40–50 cm apart.
4. Firm the soil and water well.
5. Mulch with compost or leaf mould to keep the soil moist.
6. You can also sow outdoors in April–May where it is to grow: the seed needs light to germinate, so just press it in.

Care

Watering

Water regularly in dry spells; in a damp spot it is rarely necessary.

Feeding

A thin layer of compost in spring. Nothing more is needed.

Support

In a windy spot, support the tall stems with twiggy sticks or a plant support.

Spent flowers

Cut off the flower stems after flowering if you want to stop it seeding everywhere.

Harvesting

Dig up the roots in September–October of the second year. Wash them, cut them into pieces and dry them in an airy place. Valerian is not a kitchen herb.

Tip: Plant valerian at a pond edge or in a damp corner of a wildlife garden and cut off the flower stems after flowering if you do not want seedlings everywhere. If you want to harvest the roots, dig them up in the autumn of the second year.

Valerian: when to prune it?

Pruning months: March and August.

When: In August, cut off the faded stems before the seed ripens. Clear away the dead remains in March.

How:

• Cut faded flower stems down to just above the leaf rosette.
• Leave the leaf rosette: it stays green into autumn.
• In March, cut away dead leaves and stems before new growth begins.

Pruning: when and how · Pruning calendar and basic rules

Propagation

Division

In March–April or in October, split an older clump into pieces, each with a piece of rootstock and buds, and replant them straight away.

Seed

Sow in April–May outdoors where it is to grow or in a pot. The seed needs light to germinate: do not cover it, just press it in and keep it moist.

Young plants

Young plants that appear next to the parent can be lifted with a little soil in spring and replanted.

Valerian: how does it get through the winter?

Hardy to −30 °C.

• Fully hardy, to about −30 °C: no protection is needed.
• In autumn the top growth dies back; the rootstock overwinters in the ground.
• Leave the dead remains until March: they protect the base and give insects a hiding place.

Diseases and pests

• Flopping: The tall stems blow over or bend after rain. Choose a sheltered spot or support them in good time.
• Aphids: Colonies on the stem tips in spring. Ladybirds usually deal with them; otherwise hose them off with water.
• Powdery mildew: White powder on the leaves in dry summers. Water in dry spells and cut off affected leaves.
• Cats: Cats are attracted by the smell of the roots and may dig or roll in the plant. Protect young plants with mesh.
• Self-seeding: Seedlings all over the garden. Cut off faded stems in time and weed out seedlings while they are small.

Through the year

• March: Clear dead remains. Plant or divide.
• April: Plant. Sow outdoors. Add compost.
• May: Sow outdoors. Support stems if needed.
• June: Flowering begins. Watch for aphids.
• July: Full flower, busy with bees and butterflies.
• August: Cut off faded stems before the seed ripens.
• September: Harvest roots from plants in their second year. Plant.
• October: Harvest roots. Plant or divide.
• November: Rest: the top growth has died back.

Edible and useful

Roots (September–October)

Dig up the roots in September or October of the second year, when the leaves start to die back. Rinse off the soil, cut the rootstock with its fine roots into pieces and dry them. Once dried, they have a strong, musty smell, of old cheese or sweaty feet, and that very smell attracts cats: many cats roll in it, as they do in catnip. Valerian is not a kitchen herb. The root has long been used to help people relax, but you cannot know how strong home-dried root is: do not use it as a remedy without advice from a doctor or pharmacist.

Storing

Dry the pieces of root on a rack somewhere warm and airy, or in the oven at no more than 40 °C with the door ajar, until they snap when you bend them. Keep them in a tightly closed glass jar, out of the cat’s reach and away from your food cupboard: the smell gets into everything. That way they keep for a year.

Caution: Valerian makes you drowsy. Never take it with alcohol, sleeping pills or sedatives, and do not drive or operate machinery after taking it. Not during pregnancy or breastfeeding, nor for children under 12. Do not make your own tea or tincture to take: ask your doctor or pharmacist for advice. Cats may sniff the toy and roll on it, but do not let them eat pieces of root.

Eating and using is at your own risk: see the terms of use.

Recipes

• Valerian root cat toy (Other · 2 toys · 30 min)

Good for wildlife

Bees

Nectar and pollen for honeybees and wild bees.

Butterflies

Nectar for butterflies.

Did you know?

• Red valerian, often seen on old walls, is a different plant (Centranthus ruber) from the same family.
• The name probably comes from the Latin valere, meaning ‘to be healthy’ or ‘to be strong’.
• The seeds have a feathery crown, like those of the dandelion, which lets the wind carry them far.