Family: Valerianaceae
Genus: Valeriana
Species: officinalis
(i) General background on the plant
Valerian is a native of Europe and west Asia and is now naturalised in North America. It is found in grasslands, ditches, damp meadows and close to streams. A tetraploid cultivar is confined to parts of the UK.
Valerian is an erect nearly glabrous perennial 20-150 cm in height, 1m2 spread. Leaves are pinnate, deeply toothed, mid-green and up to 20cm long. Terminal umbel-like heads of pale pink/white flowers form in summer
(ii) Details of quality characters
A bitter, sedative, warming herb with a musky aroma. The roots and rhizomes contain an essential oil with mildly sedative properties. The oil contains valeric acid (pentanic acid (H3) (CH2)3 (OOH)). The principal constituents are bornyl acetate and isovalerate.
(iii) Current production and yields
Valerian is cultivated to a small extent in The Netherlands, Belgium, Germany and eastern Europe usually as a medicinal plant.
(iv) Constraints on production
UK was once a traditional centre for harvesting valerian (Maby, 1996)
(v) Markets and Market potential
Aromatic-oil is used in "mossy" perfumes.
Medicinal - Internally for insomnia, hysteria, anxiety, cramps, migraine, indigestion. Excess causes headaches and palpitations; extended use may lead to addition.
Economic - Extracts are used in flavouring ice cream, bakery products, condiments, soft drinks, liqueurs, beers and tobacco, and are especially important in apple flavours; they are also used as a bait for trapping wild cats and rodents.
(vi) Other information
Rhizomes and roots are lifted in the second year after the leaves have died off, and used fresh, dried for use in decoctions, infusions, liquid extracts, tablets and tinctures or distilled for oil. An absolute (and concrete) are also produced by solvent extraction of the rhizomes.
(vii) Contacts
(viii) References
Mabey, R (1995) Flora Britannica, Sinclair-Stevenson, London