This fun Mediterranean native is found growing all over Britain and Europe, completely at home in poor soils and even in stone wall cracks. It thrives in dry conditions and disperses easily by seed. Hence its ubiquity there.
Jupiter’s Beard or Red Valerian (Valeriana or Centranthus rubra) has several colorful common names. How it got the moniker Jupiter’s Beard is a mystery, but in mythology Jupiter is sometimes portrayed with a red beard, and this flower does come in a muted brick red. One can only speculate.
As for Kiss-Me-Quick? Who knows– perhaps valerian was used at country weddings (or illicit rendevous) in medieval times, or lovers picked it in the fields. This pretty flower comes in shades of red from brick to pink to a deep cerise, as well as creamy-white (white is not common and it’s hard to find). It has also been called Fox Brush, Devil’s Beard and Heal-All but has no proven medicinal qualities. To keep things consistent I will just call it red valerian here, as it’s best known here in the U.S..
Valerian was initially imported to the U.S. for the nursery trade. It escaped cultivation in parts of the West and can be found growing wild in arid areas where it’s considered invasive. Fortunately it is well-behaved in humid climates like the Northeast. Deadheading is a still good idea though, since it can produce tufted seedheads that disperse easily. Deadheading also helps to stimulate repeat flowering. So far I have not had any self-seeding at all.
One of the best reasons to grow valerian is its habit of flowering all summer. Right now mine is in full bloom by mid-May and still going strong in June. Last year, its second year in my garden, it began in July and went until frost. A mature clump can produce many inflorescences comprised of clusters of tiny florets. I pair mine with a dark heuchera with similar tones, but the heuchera is small at this point. Still, they echo each other nicely.
Siting and Growing
GIve valerian full sun to mostly sun, light sandy soil, not too much water. It’s not fussy as long as it has average to excellent drainage and not too acidic a ph. Height is two to three feet tall and two feet wide at maturity.
If you want valerian to proliferate, site it in a meadow or semi-wild area where volunteers won’t be an issue should they appear. This plant is considered a subshrub in its native habitat because it often develops a woody base. But some plants remain entirely herbaceous, especially in cold climates where it goes fully dormant over winter. Either way, it is hardy to zone 6.
I have mine in a cultivated bed with other assertives like short-toothed mint, asters, the aforesaid heuchera and yarrow. I plan on deadheading it lightly as needed. Since our summers are wet and humid I don’t anticipate it will become invasive.
For those living west of the Mississippi or in xeric areas, I don’t recommend taking the chance. But for the rest of us, valerian is certainly an option. The hardest part might be finding a spot for its unusual soft pinkish-red coloring. Low grasses would be a great companion.
