(Valeriana Officinalis 'Valerian')
Valerian is a clumping perennial herb that is native to Europe and western Asia but can be commonly found growing in fields, along roadsides, and on the damper side of gardens throughout the United States. At maturity, this plant reaches the height of 20-40” and features a clump of deeply lobed basal leaves, tall, sparsely-leaved, slim stems, and umbels that bare clusters of sweet scented pale pink flowers. This plant should be grown in a container, attracts bees and butterflies, tolerates deer and frost, is both edible and medicinal, and is great as a cut flower!
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General Information
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Germination
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Seedlings
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Harvesting
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Seed Saving
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Culinary
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Medicinal
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Companion Planting
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Other Uses
Genus: Valeriana
Species: officinalis
Variety: Valerian
Also Known As: Garden heliotrope, Common Valerian, Garden Valerian, or All-heal
Native to: Albania, Austria, Baltic States, Belarus, Bulgaria, Central European Rus, Czechoslovakia, Denmark, East European Russia, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, Iran, Italy, Krym, North Caucasus, North European Russi, Northwest European R, Poland, Romania, South European Russi, Sweden, Switzerland, Transcaucasus, Turkey, Turkey-in-Europe, Ukraine, Yugoslavia.
Introduced into: British Columbia, Connecticut, Greece, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Labrador, Maine, Manitoba, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, New Brunswick, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Newfoundland, Nova Scotia, Ohio, Ontario, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Prince Edward I., Québec, Vermont, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Yukon.
Grown as: Perennial
Hardiness: Extremely cold hardy, even in harsh winter climates. Plants die back to the ground in winter and re-emerge in spring. It prefers cooler weather.
Maturity (Blooms): June to July
Start Indoors: Yes
Start Outdoors: Yes
Light: Full Sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
Water: Medium. This plant enjoys abundant rainfall.
Soil Moisture: Medium. Any average, well drained soil.
Maintenance: Medium
Beneficial Insects?: Yes. Valerian flowers attract bees and butterflies. The plant also is resistant to deers.
Containers?: Yes. Plant Valerian in a large pot in moist, rich, loamy soil. Water regularly and keep by a very sunny window.
Height: 20-40"
Spacing: 18-36”
Sow Depth: 1/8"
USDA Zone: 4-9
Produces: a clump of deeply lobed basal leaves, tall, sparsely-leaved, slim stems, and umbels that bare clusters of sweet scented pale pink flowers.
Garden Uses: Grown for ornamental and/or herbal purposes. Cottage gardens, borders, herb gardens, cutting gardens or naturalized areas. Good cut flower.
Known Hazards: It is said that prolonged medicinal use of this plant can lead to addiction. A course of treatment should not exceed 3 months.
Companion Planting
Problems
Suggested Varieties
(Nepeta cataria ‘Catnip')
Catnip is a perennial herb that is native to Europe and Asia but can be commonly found growing in open woodlands and fields, and along roadsides throughout the United States. At maturity, this plant reaches a height of 12-18” and features grayish square stems, 3” oval-shaped, aromatic green leaves, and clusters of small spikes of pale lavender or white two-lipped ¼” flowers. This plant can be grown in a container, attracts bees and birds, repels ants, aphids, flea beetles, mice, and squash bugs, tolerates drought and frost, makes potpourri, is both edible and medicinal and self-sows!
(Echinacea purpurea ‘Purple’)
Only a few left!
Purple Coneflower is a native perennial flower that naturally grows in moist meadows, woods, and prairies throughout the central and eastern United States. At maturity, this plant reaches a height of 2-4' and features stiff stems, narrow hairy leaves, and 3-4” flower heads with drooping purplish pink petals and a spiny orange center cone. This plant can be grown in a container, attracts bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds, provides bird forage, tolerates drought and frost, has medicinal uses, is resistant to deer, and is used as a cut flower!
(Anethum graveolens ‘Dukat')
Dukat Dill is an annual herb that is native to the Mediterranean and Asia but can be commonly found growing throughout the Midwest, northeastern, and west coast of the United States. At maturity, this plant reaches a height of 3-5' and features stiff hollow stems, sweet-scented, bluish-green, feathery foliage, and compound 10” umbrella-shaped umbels that are topped by yellow aromatic flowers. This plant can be grown in a container, attracts bees, butterflies, hoverflies, lacewings, ladybugs, predatory wasps, and tachinid flies, repels aphids, spider mites, and squash bugs, is rabbit safe, tolerates deer, its leaves are used as an insect repellent, tolerates drought and light frost, is used to flavor soaps, is used to make insecticides, is both edible and medicinal and self-sows!
(Agastache nepetoides ‘Yellow Giant')
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Giant Yellow Hyssop is a native perennial herb that can be commonly found growing on woodland edges, thickets, and in moist open woods throughout the Midwest and southwest United States. At maturity, this plant reaches the height of 5-6' and features square shaped stalks, arrowhead-shaped, 5” toothed leaves, and 5” terminal spikes that bare greenish=yellow flowers. This plant grows in a container, attracts bees, birds, and butterflies, repels cabbage moths, tolerates deer, drought and frost, is both edible and medicinal, self sows, and is great as a cut flower!