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Plant Selector Guide
Valeriana officinalis (Valerian, Cat's Valerian, Garden Heliotrope)

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Plant Type: Perennial
Uses: Fragrance, Medicinal
Propagation: Division, Seeds, Root Cuttings
Habit: Upright
Light: Full Sun, Part Shade
Flower Color: Pink
Blooms: Summer
Width: 1 ft.
Height: 2 - 5 ft.
Fertility: Average
Soil: Neutral, Well-Drained
Zone: 3 - 10
Attracts: Cats

Hardy Perennial. This is a scented herb that has long been grown for its fragrant flowers and leaves and medicinal properties. It is a lovely addition to a garden. The flowers, which range in color from pale pink to lavender, appear in the summer. Its feathery leaves make a lovely background and it attracts earthworms to the garden. The long slim roots, which have an unpleasant odor until they are dried, are used medicinally and as a fixative in potpourri. The fresh root is attractive to rats and legend holds that it was carried by Pied Piper of Hamlin. Cats are attracted by this aromatic perennial which can grow to a height of 5 feet.