RED
VALERIAN
Family VALERIANACEAE
Centranhus species
Perennial/Annual
Some species are native to the Mediterranean
region, but those usually seen in gardens are
European.
The foliage is lanceolate, smooth and gluacous,
and the habit of the plant is compact. The flowers
are small and borne in umbels about two inches
across at the end of the eighteen-inch stems.
They vary in colour from crimson to white, and
are produced freely.
Centranhus ruber and its white variety albus are the
species most commonly found in gardens, and have
been known in Britain for many years.
Centranhus angustifolius reaches two feet with clear rose
or white flowers of similar form. Both species
are fragrant.
Cultivation is easy for the Valerian grows in
any soil and often naturalises itself in the crevices
of old walls and masses of the red form are commonly
seen of railway embankments in the western counties.
Propagation is by means of division or seeds.
The flowering season extends through the whole
summer.
The most attractive hardy annual of this species
is Centranhus macrosiphon.
The seed should be
sown in late March or April.
Valerian
Hardy Perennial.
Two feet.
Flowers red or white, in June and July.
A hardy and easily grown plant, with close-set
heads of pinkish red flowers.
The common sort,
Valerian officinalis, is not very ornamental; Valerian off.
coccinea has brighter red flowers; in alba they
are white;
Phu-aurea has yellow foliage and white
flowers.
Plant in ordinary garden mould, and treat
as hardy perennials.
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