Common Valerian (Garden Heliotrope)
Valeriana officinalis. VALERIANACEAE.
Planting and Growing Common Valerian
You’ll find everything you need to know to plant and grow common valerian in the accompanying table’s tabs:
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- Flowers, foliage, and root structure of common valerian
- Plant hardiness and growing conditions for common valerian
- Season of bloom and planting time for common valerian
- When, how deep, and where to plant common valerian
- How to plant common valerian
- Watering, fertilizing, care, and pests or diseases of common valerian
- Landscape and container uses of common valerian
- Comments about common valerian and its features
Growing Common Valerian
Many cultivars of erect, upright, rhizomatous, deciduous perennial herbs, 42–60 in. (1.1–1.5 m) tall. Textured, light green, lacelike, deeply cut and divided, toothed, fragrant leaves, 18–24 in. (45–60 cm) long, with 7–10 paired leaflets.
Common cultivars include Valeriana officinalis ‘Alba’, ‘Coccinea’, and ‘Rubra’, with white, scarlet, and red flowers, respectively.
Planting and Care Guide
Blooms
Many lavender, pink, red, scarlet, white, funnel-shaped, very fragrant flowers, 1/8–1/4‑in. (3–6‑mm) wide, in flat, rounded clusters atop tall stems, in late spring–summer.
Best Climates
Hardy. Self-seeding. Zones 3–10.
Soil Type and Fertility
Moist, well-drained loam. Fertility: Rich–average. 6.5–7.5 pH.
Where and How to Plant
Spring in full sun to partial shade, 2–3 ft. (60–90 cm) apart.
Proper Care
Easy. Keep damp; allow soil surface to dry between waterings. Drought tolerant. Fertilize monthly. Mulch. Propagate by division, seed.
About This Plant
Good choice for accents, containers, massed plantings in arid, meadow, woodland gardens. Good for cutting. Attracts bees, household cats. Invasive. Pest and disease resistant.