Seeds Valerian, Official

Valerian, Official
(Valeriana officinalis)

Valerian Official is a tall, graceful medicinal perennial known for its fragrant white flower clusters and deeply valued roots. Long used in European and Western herbal traditions, valerian root is most recognized for its calming properties. In the garden, it serves as both a striking pollinator plant and a dynamic addition to medicinal herb systems.

Key Characteristics

• Traditional Sleep & Nervous System Support
  The root is the primary medicinal part and is harvested in the fall of the plant’s second year. Traditionally prepared as a tea, tincture, or extract, valerian has been used to support restful sleep, calm nervous tension, and ease stress-related discomfort.
• Pollinator-Attracting Blooms
  Large, airy clusters of small white to pale pink flowers bloom in early summer and are highly attractive to bees, hoverflies, and other beneficial insects. Its bloom period helps bridge nectar flow between spring and mid-summer species.
• Tall, Architectural Presence
  Grows 3–5 feet tall with upright stems and fern-like foliage. Adds vertical structure to the herbaceous layer of medicinal gardens, meadows, and food forest edges.
• Moisture-Loving & Cold Hardy
  Prefers rich, consistently moist soils and performs well along streambanks, rain gardens, or irrigated herb beds. Extremely hardy and dependable in colder climates.

Product Details

• Botanical Name: Valeriana officinalis
• Native Range: Europe & Western Asia (naturalized in North America)
• Plant Life Cycle: Perennial
• Sun Requirements: Full sun to partial shade
• Soil Requirements: Medium to medium-wet, fertile
• Mature Height: 36–60 inches
• Bloom Time: May–July
• Bloom Color: White to pale pink
• USDA Hardiness Zones: 3–9

Surface sow seeds in spring or fall; light aids germination. Keep soil consistently moist during establishment. Harvest roots in the fall of the second year for strongest medicinal properties. Allow some plants to flower to support pollinators and natural reseeding. In permaculture systems, integrate valerian into the herbaceous layer near water-retentive areas where its height and flowers can support beneficial insect populations.

Valerian Official offers calming herbal tradition, pollinator value, and vertical beauty—an essential perennial for medicinal and regenerative landscapes.