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PlantFiles: Valerian, Garden Heliotrope, All Heal
Valeriana officinalis

 
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Family: Valerianaceae
Genus: Valeriana (va-ler-ee-AH-nuh) (Info)
Species: officinalis (oh-fiss-ih-NAH-liss) (Info)

11 vendors have this plant for sale.

31 members have or want this plant for trade.

Category:
Herbs
Perennials

Height:
4-6 ft. (1.2-1.8 m)

Spacing:
18-24 in. (45-60 cm)
24-36 in. (60-90 cm)

Hardiness:
USDA Zone 4a: to -34.4 °C (-30 °F)
USDA Zone 4b: to -31.6 °C (-25 °F)
USDA Zone 5a: to -28.8 °C (-20 °F)
USDA Zone 5b: to -26.1 °C (-15 °F)
USDA Zone 6a: to -23.3 °C (-10 °F)
USDA Zone 6b: to -20.5 °C (-5 °F)
USDA Zone 7a: to -17.7 °C (0 °F)
USDA Zone 7b: to -14.9 °C (5 °F)
USDA Zone 8a: to -12.2 °C (10 °F)
USDA Zone 8b: to -9.4 °C (15 °F)
USDA Zone 9a: to -6.6 °C (20 °F)
USDA Zone 9b: to -3.8 °C (25 °F)

Sun Exposure:
Full Sun
Sun to Partial Shade

Danger:
N/A

Bloom Color:
Pale Pink
White/Near White

Bloom Time:
Mid Summer

Foliage:
Herbaceous

Other details:
May be a noxious weed or invasive
This plant is attractive to bees, butterflies and/or birds
Average Water Needs; Water regularly; do not overwater
Requires consistently moist soil; do not let dry out between waterings
Self-sows freely; deadhead if you do not want volunteer seedlings next season

Soil pH requirements:
6.6 to 7.5 (neutral)

Patent Information:
Non-patented

Propagation Methods:
By dividing the rootball
From seed; direct sow outdoors in fall
From seed; winter sow in vented containers, coldframe or unheated greenhouse
From seed; stratify if sowing indoors

Seed Collecting:
Bag seedheads to capture ripening seed
Allow seedheads to dry on plants; remove and collect seeds
Properly cleaned, seed can be successfully stored

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There are a total of 27 photos.
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Profile:

6 positives
2 neutrals
No negatives

Gardeners' Notes:

RatingAuthorComment
Positive gardenwife On May 23, 2008, gardenwife from Newark, OH (Zone 5b) wrote:

A friend gave me starts of valerian five or more years ago and it has never taken over any place I've planted it. It thrives in the fairly dry beds I have it in, too. The fragrance is so sweet, just outstanding, and I love its ferny foliage.

Positive Joy On Jul 13, 2006, Joy from Kalama, WA (Zone 8b) wrote:

Valerian roots will give a cat the same sense of ecstasy as catnip. Valerian is a mild stimulant. Though it doesn't do any harm, it shouldn't be given to cats with kidney ailments.

My cats seem to prefer Valerian over Catnip.

Positive Gabrielle On Jan 29, 2006, Gabrielle from Washington, IL (Zone 5a) wrote:

Valerian is nice in the back of a garden where it doesn't tower over smaller plants. Because of its straight, long stalks, it seems to provide the look of a garden structure as much as a plant. It is slow to germinate.

Positive Kruch72 On Nov 3, 2004, Kruch72 from Elgin, IL (Zone 5a) wrote:

Spring to early summer bloomer with fragrant flowers that smell like vanilla. Plant doesn't need staking very sturdy. Nice fern-like foilage all summer. Spreads on it own runners.

Positive mominem On Apr 22, 2004, mominem from Ashton, IL (Zone 5a) wrote:

This plant will grow quite happily in a container and overwinters without needing to be mulched or protected. The seedlings are easy to pull although they do tend to pop up at quite a distance to the mother plant. Seeds are carried by wind. Deadheading will provoke a second, smaller flush of blooms.

Positive saya On Sep 8, 2003, saya from Heerlen
Netherlands (Zone 8b) wrote:

I love its fragrance during late spring. Blooms at that time when there is so much to do in the garden. The scent is like almond blossoms and fills my whole garden. Wouldn't miss it for this. It blooms about 4 weeks in my garden. Attracts bees and butterflies. I have it in my garden for several years now. I have 'nt experienced it as invasive..in spring I may find two or three seedlings, easy to recognize and easy to pull out. I have medium dry/moist soil conditions for it.

Neutral lupinelover On Sep 7, 2003, lupinelover from Grove City, OH (Zone 6a) wrote:

Staking valerian as it grows its floral stalks helps it keep a flower appearance, rather than a weed appearance.

Neutral poppysue On Aug 10, 2001, poppysue from Westbrook, ME (Zone 5a) wrote:

Valerian grows wild along the roadsides ditches and in wet meadows. The plants get 5-6 feet tall when they're happy in a moist soil. It has a very sweet fragrance that perfumes the air for several weeks in early summer. The roots of the plant are used as a medicinal herb - a mild sedative. It's an aggressive spreader ao make sure to give it plenty of room or plant it were it won't crowd out other plants.

Regional...

This plant has been said to grow in the following regions:

Seward, Alaska
Berkeley, California
Temple, Georgia
Ashton, Illinois
Washington, Illinois
Inwood, Iowa
Manhattan, Kansas
Prospect, Kentucky
Lisbon, Maine
Portland, Maine
Douglas, Massachusetts
Feeding Hills, Massachusetts
Mashpee, Massachusetts
Southborough, Massachusetts
Adrian, Michigan
Ferrysburg, Michigan
Marietta, Mississippi
Eunice, Missouri
Helena, Montana
Lincoln, Nebraska
Mount Laurel, New Jersey
Croton On Hudson, New York
Naples, New York
Cincinnati, Ohio
Corning, Ohio
Grove City, Ohio
Newark, Ohio
Astoria, Oregon
Eagle Point, Oregon
Bellefonte, Pennsylvania
Norristown, Pennsylvania
North Scituate, Rhode Island
Salt Lake City, Utah
Gold Bar, Washington
Kalama, Washington
Green Bay, Wisconsin
Spooner, Wisconsin



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