Red Valerian (Jupiter’s-Beard)
Centranthus ruber (formerly Valeriana rubra). VALERIANACEAE.
Planting and Growing Red Valerian
You’ll find everything you need to know to plant and grow red valerian in the accompanying table’s tabs:
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- Flowers, foliage, and root structure of red valerian
- Plant hardiness and growing conditions for red valerian
- Season of bloom and planting time for red valerian
- When, how deep, and where to plant red valerian
- How to plant red valerian
- Watering, fertilizing, care, and pests or diseases of red valerian
- Landscape and container uses of red valerian
- Comments about red valerian and its features
Growing Red Valerian
Several cultivars of bushy, rounded, deciduous perennial herbs, to 3 ft. (90 cm) tall. Opposite, shiny, blue green, green, oval, pointed leaves, to 4 in. (10 cm) long.
Annual valerian, Centranthus calcitrapa, and spur valerian, Centranthus macrosiphon, are closely related species with similar care needs.
Planting and Care Guide
Blooms
![023-flower Flower on plant logo glyph Copyright ©2020 Used under grant of license from license holder. All rights reserved by licensor.](https://i0.wp.com/grownbyyou.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/023-flower.jpg?fit=64%2C64&ssl=1)
Many blue, pink, red, white, tubular, flared flowers, 1/2–1-1/2-in. (12–38-mm) wide, in terminal clusters, to 3 in. (75 mm) wide, in spring–summer.
Best Climates
![3-Conditions_006-cloud Glyph icon sun and clouds](https://i0.wp.com/grownbyyou.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/3-Conditions_006-cloud.jpg?fit=64%2C64&ssl=1)
Hardy. Zones 4–11.
Soil Type and Fertility
![4-Soil_002-soil Glyph icon plants and soil profile. Copyright © 2019, 2020 Dolezal & Associates. Used by grant of license from copyright holder. All Rights Reserved by licensor.](https://i0.wp.com/grownbyyou.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/4-Soil_002-soil.jpg?fit=64%2C64&ssl=1)
Moist, well-drained loam. Fertility: Average–low. 6.5–8.0 pH. Color best in alkaline soils.
Where and How to Plant
![010S1-H1_Plant_Shrub Glyph icon planting shrub in garden landscape. Copyright © 2019, 2020 Dolezal & Associates. Used by grant of license from copyright holder. All Rights Reserved by licensor.](https://i0.wp.com/grownbyyou.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/010S1-H1_Plant_Shrub.png?fit=64%2C64&ssl=1)
Spring in full sun, 2–3 ft. (60–90 cm) apart, when soil is workable.
Proper Care
![011T2-H1_Care_Tree-2 Glyph icon gardening care, watering can and water drops](https://i0.wp.com/grownbyyou.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/011T2-H1_Care_Tree-2.png?fit=64%2C64&ssl=1)
Easy. Keep moist until established; drought tolerant thereafter. Avoid fertilizing. Deadhead spent flowers to prevent self-seeding. Propagate by division, seed.
About This Plant
![024-sprout Hands with young plant logo or glyph. Copyright ©2020 FlatIcon. All Rights Reserved. Used under license from licensor.](https://i0.wp.com/grownbyyou.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/024-sprout.jpg?fit=64%2C64&ssl=1)
Good choice for accents, backgrounds, beds, borders, massed plantings in arid, meadow, natural, rock gardens. Invasive, self-seeding. Pest and disease resistant.