Valerian Herb

Growing The Valerian Herb- Tincture, Supplement and Health

The Valerian herb goes under a variety of names. Its most common name is ‘garden valerian’ (This name is used to distinguish it from another species called ‘red valerian’, that has very different properties). It is also known as ‘garden heliotrope’ and appropriately as ‘all-heal.’

Most people grow the valerian herb as part of a medicinal garden. It is one of the most well-known plants and its use has been documented over 2000 years ago. These ancient Greeks used it for pretty much the same reasons we use it now, as a relaxant and to treat insomnia.

The big turn-off for gardeners is that the mature plant has a bit of a strange smell. It is probably for this reason that it doesn’t enjoy popularity with gardeners. If you have an aromatic garden, you may want to pass on this herb or grow it next to a stronger-smelling herb such as mint. Oddly both cats and rats love the smell of this herb, so strategic placement or it can help keep these animals closer or further away from home depending on your preference! The flowers are the only good smelling part, so they can be harvested and used as a perfume.

The big problem with it is that it is pretty useless as a culinary herb. This is due to the unusual smell and its strange flavor. Therefore its major use is as part of a medicinal garden.

Growing Valerian

The valerian herb is great for most gardens. It is a pretty hardy perennial that can grow in many different soils. It has a habit of getting killed by weeds, so correct weeding is essential.  It also tends to take up a lot of room, so make sure that you give it lots of space (At least a foot apart) so that it doesn’t get overcrowded.

Propagating is usually done by the runner. As it is so resilient, it can usually be planted in early spring and it will survive a frost or two. Once some growth has been established, you can start trimming off some sections for medicinal use. At the end of the season it will self-sow itself. However it is prone to harm its own growth by overcrowding itself, so be sure to remove any excessive growth.

The intended use of your plant will dictate how you maintain it. If you intend to use your valerian herb as a medicinal herb, then you will want to trim off any flowers as soon as they grow. This is because the root of the plant has most of the medicinal benefits and trimming the flowers prevent the plant wasting valuable resources growing flowers. On the other hand, if you are growing it for ornamental reasons, you will obviously want to let the attractive flowers grow.

Valerian Effects

The Valerian herb is a great supplement for treating sleep disorders. Its use as a treatment for insomnia and similar sleep disruptions has been known since the days of Hippocrates 2500 years ago! Because of its sedative effects it is often recommended for people who are suffering from depression, as it relaxes them. It has also been used as a muscle relaxant for a long time. By far its best use is as a relaxant for people to try who are coming off stronger medication.

There are a couple of ways to take this herb. The most common is by valerian tincture, this can be bought at most pharmacies. Recently many people have been using it as a tisane. To get the best benefit, valerian tisane should be prepared with lukewarm water instead of boiling hot water, as many of the oils that give the herb its medicinal benefits are lost when it is exposed to too hot temperatures.