Valerian (Valeriana officinalis)

General Plant Information (Edit)
Plant Habit:	Herb/Forb
Life cycle:	Perennial
Sun Requirements:	Full Sun Full Sun to Partial Shade
Water Preferences:	Mesic
Minimum cold hardiness:	Zone 2 -45.6 °C (-50 °F) to -42.8 °C (-45°F)
Maximum recommended zone:	Zone 9b
Plant Height:	18-60 inches (45-150 cm)
Plant Spread:	18-36 inches (45-90 cm)
Flowers:	Showy Fragrant
Flower Color:	Pink White
Flower Time:	Summer
Uses:	Water gardens Will Naturalize
Dynamic Accumulator:	Si (Silicon)
Wildlife Attractant:	Bees Butterflies
Toxicity:	Other: medicinal plant
Propagation: Seeds:	Stratify seeds: if seeds are grown indoors Suitable for wintersowing Sow in situ
Propagation: Other methods:	Division
Pollinators:	Beetles Flies Bees Various insects

Victory Seed Company sells seeds of Valerian (Valeriana officinalis).

Common names

Valerian
Garden Heliotrope
All Heal

Botanical names

Accepted: Valeriana officinalis
Synonym: Valeriana alternifolia f. angustifolia
Synonym: Valeriana alternifolia
Synonym: Valeriana faurier
Synonym: Valeriana pseudofficinalis

Photo Gallery

Location: Caribou Maine
Date: June 2018
#pollination

Uploaded by JHeirloomSeeds

Location: Zone 5b, Chicago suburbs
Date: June 10, 2021

Uploaded by BeautifulRoots

Location: RHS Harlow Carr, Yorkshire, UK
Date: 2018-06-11

Uploaded by kniphofia

Location: My garden in Gent, Belgium
Date: 2012-06-07

Uploaded by bonitin

Uploaded by JHeirloomSeeds

Location: Morpeth, Northumberland UK
Date: 2018-06-22

Uploaded by kniphofia

Location: Fairfax, VA | May, 2023
Date: 2023-05-11

Uploaded by sedumzz

Location: Northeastern, Texas
Date: 2016-06-01

Uploaded by wildflowers

Location: Cedarhome, Washington
Date: 2014-03-13
Emerging in spring

Uploaded by Bonehead

Uploaded by lauribob

Date: 1913
illustration from Gatin's 'Les fleurs du bois', 1913

Uploaded by scvirginia

Uploaded by BeautifulRoots

Uploaded by foraygardengirl

Uploaded by robertduval14

Location: RHS Harlow Carr, Yorkshire, UK
Date: 2016-07-11

Uploaded by kniphofia

Location: My garden in Gent, Belgium
Date: 2012-06-01

Uploaded by bonitin

Uploaded by Calif_Sue

Uploaded by bonitin

Uploaded by bonitin

Uploaded by vic

Location: Northeastern, Texas
Date: 2015-04-07
Young plant leaves emerging

Uploaded by wildflowers

Location: all photos from my garden
Date: 2015-05-15

Uploaded by poisondartfrog

Uploaded by poisondartfrog

Location: All pictures taken in/on my gardens/greenhouse/property
Date: 2018-03-31

Uploaded by janinilulu

Location: My garden in Gent, Belgium
Date: 2012-05-17

Uploaded by bonitin

Uploaded by robertduval14

Uploaded by robertduval14

Uploaded by foraygardengirl

Uploaded by foraygardengirl

Location: Botanical Garden KIT, Karlsruhe, Germany
photo credit: H. Zell

Uploaded by robertduval14

Location: Twisp
Date: 2016-05-19
Just beginning to open - so fragrant!

Uploaded by lauribob

Location: my garden, Gent, Belgium
Date: May 5, 2006 9:47 AM
flowers are still in bud

Uploaded by bonitin

Location: My garden in Gent, Belgium
Date: 2012-04-01

Uploaded by bonitin

Location: In my garden in Kalama, Wa.
Date: 2008-06-29

Uploaded by Joy

Uploaded by Joy

Photo Courtesy of Lazy S'S Farm Nursery.

Uploaded by Joy

Uploaded by Joy

Uploaded by Calif_Sue

Uploaded by Calif_Sue

Uploaded by Calif_Sue

Uploaded by Calif_Sue

Photo Courtesy of Select Seeds. Used with permission.

Uploaded by Joy

Photo Courtesy of Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds. Used with permissi

Uploaded by Joy

This plant is tagged in:

Comments:

Posted by Bonehead (Planet Earth - Zone 8b) on Mar 13, 2014 12:50 PM concerning plant:

Gets about 5' tall. Self seeds. May be cut completely to the ground after flowering but before setting seed, which will result in fresh new low growth. No further maintenance is needed for winter.

Reply to this comment
Posted by wildflowers (North East Texas - Zone 7b) on Aug 28, 2014 3:56 PM concerning plant:

A hardy perennial herb that can reach up to 5 feet tall. It doesn't do so well in many areas of the south, but it can be grown successfully here in the northern part of Texas, zone 7b. Has a long history as a medicinal herb and is still used, prepared as a tincture and taken for insomnia, depression, stress, and nervous tension. Two-year-old roots are dried and used.

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Plant Events from our members
lovesblooms	On March 1, 2020	Seeds sown winter sow
lovesblooms	On February 23, 2018	Seeds sown wintersown
traceybrown0	On May 28, 2018	Seeds sown
CarolineScott	On November 5, 2018	Seeds sown
MrsBinWY	On May 18, 2019	Potted up 5 pots with several each
MrsBinWY	On January 25, 2019	Seeds germinated 3
MrsBinWY	On January 19, 2019	Seeds sown ~20 seeds from janinilulu (from Select Seeds) in milk jug @ room temp

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Valeriana Valerian (Valeriana officinalis)

Valeriana
Valerian (Valeriana officinalis)