Valerian
Valerian: Sowing, planting and harvest calendar
Common valerian, Valeriana officinalis, is an herbaceous perennial in the Caprifoliaceae family. It has a tall, airy silhouette, with upright stems carrying numerous small groups of flowers. Naturally occurring across a broad area of Europe and Asia, it recalls damp meadows and woodland edges. Its garden interest combines divided foliage, pale flowers and a long history within collections of medicinal plants. These features give the living plant an identity beyond its familiar herbal name.The leaves are arranged in opposite pairs and generally divided into several leaflets. These leaflets are elongated and can have toothed edges. The foliage therefore has a pinnate structure rather than consisting of simple oval, velvety leaves. Flowering stems can reach around one to one and a half metres tall, sometimes more. Leaf size and appearance vary with their position on the plant and the conditions in which it develops. This variation is part of the plant’s…
