It’s a hardy perennial that adds a beautiful splash of vivid color to any garden.
Though it spreads aggressively and rapidly, it is not technically considered invasive.
Spur Valerian for Soil Erosion
Thisold-fashioned wildfloweris often planted on hills and slopes.
Its deep roots help prevent soil erosion.
Spur Valerian Care
Light
Spur valerian does best in a full-sun position.
The plant may flop over if it’s too shaded.
It does prefer aslightly alkaline soil jot down.
Limestone can be added to create better growth conditions if your soil is more on the acidic side.
Water
A drought-tolerant plant, spur valerian doesn’t need a lot of water.
Young seedlings will need light watering, but established plants can cope with natural rainfall alone.
This plant doesn’t tolerate over-watering well.
It is even used inxeriscape gardenswith restricted water.
It self-seeds readily, andcutting it backdrastically after the bloom period can help to control any unwanted spread.
It also means the bloom will be more abundant the following year.
Spur valerian can be propagated through several methods.
The seedlings can be transplanted into the ground when the temperatures rise, usually around May.
Spur valerian seeds germinate rapidly when temperatures climb above 68 degrees Fahrenheit.
Sowing directly into the groundin spring is also possible.
double-check you water the seedlings regularly, but only enough to keep the soil mildly moist.
Too much watering makes the plants look weedy.
Overwintering
These plants are quite hardy and will survive cold weather.
They die back in the winter and grow from the ground up in the spring.
What Does Spur Valerian Blooms Look and Smell Like?
Spur valerian produces star-shaped flowers in vivid colors.
Spur valerian has a strong fragrance andpollinators can’t resist this floweras it blooms throughout the summer.
Some gardeners find the fragrance unpleasant while others find it sweet.
These seed pods will eventually disperse over the landscape and may spread the plant where it’s not wanted.
Both the leaves and roots of this plant are edible.
This is a very easy-going plant that tolerates most conditions and is virtually free from pests and diseases.
Spur valerian has a medium growth rate, eventually reaching anywhere from 2-3 feet tall.
Valeriana rubra.North Carolina State University Extension.
