Botanical name: Valeriana officinalis
Folk names: All heal, garden heliotrope

Type: Perennial

Wildlife: Nectar for insects followed by seed for finches.

Flowers: June to August

Decorative merit: Tall, airy stems with umbel, pinkish white flowers giving the same effect as Verbena bonariensis. Faint vanilla scent to the fresh flowers. Pinnate leaves.

Where: Well-draining soil, gravel/dry beds, herb patches, wildflower and grass meadow patches as a centre piece. It may even handle boggy areas near a pond. Sun or shade. Roots are attractive to cats!

Folklore: Valued for the calming properties of its roots (seek advice from a qualified herbalist such as Honeysuckle Herbal) and associated with love and protection.

Donate seeds to Exeter Seed Bank