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Valeriana officinalis

(All Heal)

Overview

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Perennial .

A common active ingredient in non-prescription tranquilizers and insomnia medications. Unlike some prescription sleep aids, it appears not to cause adverse side effects. It is also effective for treating nervousness and anxiety. In addition, the plant may assist in treating high blood pressure .

Interesting Facts

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Common Names

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Click on the language to view common names.

Common Names in Danish:

Baldrian, Laege Baldrian

Common Names in Dutch:

Valeriaan

Common Names in English:

All Heal, Common Valerian, Garden Heliotrope, Garden Valerian, Garden-Heliotrope, Valerian

Common Names in French:

Valériane

Common Names in German:

Baldrian

Common Names in Italian:

Amantilla, Baldriana, Erva Gatta, Valeriana

Common Names in Japanese:

Kanakoso, Kesso

Common Names in Portuguese:

Valeriana

Common Names in Romanian:

Odolean, Valeriană

Common Names in Spanish:

Valeriana

Common Names in Swedish:

Läkevänderot, Vänderot

Description

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Genus Valeriana

Perennial herbs with aromatic underground parts. Leaves entire or divided . Flowers white or pink in corymbose cymes, panicles or heads ; upper bracts opposite. Calyx unrolled in fruit into a plumose pappus. Corolla 5-lobed, often gibbous at the base . Stamens 3. Stigma 2-3-fid or simple . Ovary 3-locular, with only 1 fertile locule. Achene crowned by the persistent pappose calyx, dorsally 3-ribbed, ventrally 1-ribbed, glabrous to hairy .

A genus of over 200 species. Widely distributed in the temperate regions of Asia, Africa, Europe and N. & S. America. Represented here by 9 or 10 species.

It is often difficult to identify the valerians without the basal leaves (which may shed early), underground and fruiting parts.[1]

Physical Description

Habit: Forb/herb

Flowers: Bloom Period: June. • Flower Color: near white, pale pink, white

Size/Age/Growth

Size: 4-6' tall.

Habitat

Typically found at an altitude of 0 to 1,642 meters (0 to 5,387 feet).[2]

Biology

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Reproduction

Duration: Perennial

Growth

Culture: Space 18-24" apart.

Soil: Minimum pH: 6.6 • Maximum pH: 7.5

Sunlight: Sun Exposure: Full Sun .

Temperature: Cold Hardiness: 4a, 4b, 5a, 5b, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b, 9a, 9b. (map)

Taxonomy

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Notes

Publishing author : L. & Maillefer Publication : Mem. Soc. Vaud. Sci. Nat. viii. 333 (1946), descr. emend.

Similar Species

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Members of the genus Valeriana

ZipcodeZoo has pages for 34 species, subspecies, varieties, forms, and cultivars in this genus:

V. acutiloba (Cordilleran Valerian) · V. acutiloba var. acutiloba (Sharpleaf Valerian) · V. acutiloba var. pubicarpa (Hairyfruit Valeriana) · V. arizonica (Arizona Tobaccoroot) · V. californica (California Valerian) · V. capitata (Captiate Valerian) · V. capitata acutiloba (Cordilleran Valerian) · V. columbiana (Wenatchee Valerian) · V. dioica (Marsh Valerian) · V. dioica simplicifolia (Marsh Valerian) · V. dioica var. sylvatica (Woods Valeriana) · V. edulis (Edible Valerian) · V. edulis ciliata var. ciliata (Taproot Valerian) · V. edulis var. ciliata (Tobacco Root) · V. edulis var. edulis (Tobacco Root) · V. jatamansi (Indian Valerian) · V. occidentalis (Small-Flower Valerian) · V. officinalis (All Heal) · V. officinalis excelsa (Garden Heliotrope) · V. officinalis 'Arterner Zuchtung' (All Heal) · V. officinalis 'Sweet Kathi' (Sweet Kathi Garden Heliotrope) · V. pauciflora (Largeflower Valerian) · V. sambucifolia (Valerian) · V. scandens (Florida Valerian) · V. scandens var. candolleana (Florida Valerian) · V. scandens var. scandens (Florida Valerian) · V. scouleri (Scouler's Valerian) · V. sisymbriifolia (Valerian) · V. sitchensis (Sitka Valerian) · V. sitchensis sitchensis (Pacific Valerian) · V. sitchensis uliginosa (Marsh Valerian) · V. sorbifolia (Pineland Valerian) · V. texana (Guadalupe Valerian) · V. uliginosa (Marsh Valerian)

More Info

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Further Reading

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Notes

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Contributors

Data Sources

Accessed through GBIF Data Portal November 11, 2007:

Identifiers

Footnotes

  1. "Valeriana". in Flora of Pakistan Page 2.. Published by Science Press (Beijing) and Missouri Botanical Garden Press. Online at EFloras.org. [back]
  2. Mean = 131.900 meters (432.743 feet), Standard Deviation = 170.960 based on 20,000 observations. Altitude information for each observation from British Oceanographic Data Centre. [back]
Last Revised: 7/15/2012