Valerian officinalis

Lovely ornamental with an airy cottage garden presence. A valuable medicinal sedative and sleep aid. The white 5’ flowers have a lovely fragrance, but the roots smell like stinky old socks. The roots are the medicinal part. Harvest the second year roots in fall and dry them to use in tea or to tincture. The plant readily self-sows, so be prepared to edit seedlings. When happy it can be borderline invasive, so site accordingly and be vigilant about escapees. Valerian grows in a wide range of soils, but prefers moist well-drained soil in part shade. Perennial Zone 3-9