Valeriana officinalis
Family Caprifoliaceae
Valerian tops four-foot stems with clouds of honey-scented white lace that pollinators mob all summer — and beneath them grows the most famous sleep root in European herbalism, dug in fall and dried for the bedtime tea generations swore by.
Happy with damp feet where fussier perennials rot, it lends airy height to the back of a border and asks very little. Fair warning delivered with a smile: neighborhood cats adore the patch nearly as much as catnip. Plant it where the tall lace can lean over everything.
Full Sun to Part Shade
Moderate water
Fast growth
Attracts bees
From the print shop
Our Plant Library collection carries valerian — Valeriana officinalis, print Nº 493, “Valerian.”
526 designsfrom $12.99white or black backgroundmatte poster, unframed
Will it fruit where you are?
Enter your ZIP — we look up your USDA hardiness zone (2023 map) and check it against what valerian actually needs.
Hardy inZones 4-8Valerian · Common problems
1 problem on file
Cats — they roll in it like catnip
1 problem on file
FewValerian · Growing & propagation
LightWaterLikes damp feet
Soil
Fertilizer
PruningDeadhead unless you want seedlings; dig outer root crowns for harvest, replant the center.
SpacingPropagateValerian · Seasonal care & spray guidance
early spring
4 jobsSowingIn springSow into flats or a prepared bed and cover no deeper than half an inch (1 cm), pressing the seed into contact with damp soil rather than burying it. Seed started in a greenhouse can be moved out after your last frost. Valerian seed requires light to germinate, so seed buried deeper than about half an inch never gets the signal to break dormancy.
Planting outIn springMove seedlings out once the ground can be worked and frost has passed, spacing them 12 to 15 inches apart into moist, rich loam at pH 6.0 to 7.0. Full sun gives the sturdiest plants, though partial shade is tolerated. A plant that reaches three to five feet tall needs that footprint to build root mass, and tight spacing raises total yield per acre but produces lighter individual roots - the trade you are making at planting.
FeedingIn springApply a standard NPK fertilizer as growth resumes, and side-dress established second-year plants with compost. Extra nitrogen is the single most important input in valerian cultivation, because the crop is the root and top growth is what fills it.
DividingIn springEvery three years, dig the entire planting, split the crowns, and replant the best divisions at fresh spacing. Divisions come true where seedlings vary. Valerian spreads by rhizome into a crowded clump, and crowded crowns compete with themselves for the moisture and nitrogen that would otherwise go into root.
at bloom
1 jobPruningAt bloomAs the white-pink clusters open, cut the flowering stalks out at the base. Do not let a single head go to seed if you are anywhere near wild ground. Flower removal is standard practice in valerian production to prevent weedy seedling establishment, and the plant spreads by both seed and rhizome once it gets loose.
the growing season
1 jobWateringThrough summerWater through dry spells to hold the soil evenly moist. Valerian will take occasionally dry or occasionally wet ground, but it does not thrive in either. This is a plant of cool, rainy woodland edges, and consistent moisture is the condition it grows fastest under - a root crop that checks in a drought does not catch back up.
autumn, and putting it to bed
1 job
HarvestingIn autumnDig whole roots in fall after the first frost, once the top growth has been knocked back and yellows to the ground. Wash them, then dry in the shade with a gentle air flow and low heat, under 100F (40C). Frost signals the plant has moved its reserves down into the root, which is where the sedative compounds sit. Drying hot or in sun drives off the essential oil you dug the plant for.
Valerian · Calculators & field guides
Valerian · Yearly calendar
No calendar activity is listed for this month.
BloomHarvestBloomJune to July
HarvestSeptember to November
These are the species' typical months — expect them a few weeks earlier in warm zones and later in cold ones. Watch the plant, not just the calendar.
Valerian · Ecology & uses
Valeriana officinalis
AttractsMoisture
DeerProtect young plants
Origin✓ Commonly eatensedative use; the smell is the hazing ritual
Traditional useUseUseEdible value
Traditional use ratingROOTS, fall of year 2-3: the classic sleep herb (smells like old socks — that's correct).
Edibility, identification, and traditional-use notes here are general reference — not medical or veterinary advice, and not a claim that any plant treats or prevents anything. Medicinal ratings record how strongly a plant features in herbal tradition, nothing more. Never eat or dose a plant you have not positively identified. More on how to use this library.
Valerian · Varieties & cultivars
Officinalis (the medicinal); don't confuse with red valerian (Centranthus — ornamental only)
Sources & plant identity
Valeriana officinalis
Hardiness, size and timing vary with your cultivar, soil and climate.
University extension research, brought together with hands-on growing experience at Story Thyme Farms.
Manitoba Agriculture (provincial department of agriculture)
Montana State University
NC State ExtensionPublisher marks identify sources, not sponsorship or endorsement.
Valerian questions, answered straight.
Valerian is commonly eaten and isn't considered toxic, but "commonly eaten" isn't a guarantee for any particular person or animal — allergies, quantity, and which part you eat all matter. One caveat on this one: sedative use; the smell is the hazing ritual. Never eat a plant you haven't positively identified, and check with a vet before letting pets or livestock graze anything new.
ROOTS, fall of year 2-3: the classic sleep herb (smells like old socks — that's correct).
Division or seed.
Where valerian sits in the library.
Mullein
Feverfew
St. John's Wort
American Ginseng