How to Grow Valerian (A Natural Sleep Remedy Herb)

Advice on how to grow valerian, a tall flowering plant with roots you can use as a gentle and effective sleep aid. This hardy and readily self-seeding plant grows in most temperate climates and looks lovely in a herbal remedies garden. Harvest the roots in autumn to use in natural sleep remedies and as a treat for your cats.

Growing valerian is incredibly easy, and I’ve had it in the garden for years, using it both as a natural sleep aid and an ornamental flower. Unlike the more commonly known valerian, Centranthus ruber, common valerian, Valeriana officinalis, tends to grow in clumps that shoot up with tall stems, pinnate leaves, and delicately scented pinkish-white flowers in late spring to early summer.

Once sown, it will likely reappear in your garden year after year since it’s a hardy perennial with a prolific self-seeding nature. Although it’s a stunning, architectural plant, valerian is typically grown as a herbal remedy for anxiety and insomnia.

I came across valerian many years ago while living in Germany. I had a spell of not being able to sleep, and a friend recommended that I take “baldrian” tablets, a natural sleep remedy. It amazed me that they worked! And without the hangover that you can feel in the morning from taking conventional sleeping pills.

I looked into it, and baldrian is the German word for common valerian, a simple plant that grows in the wild and gardens. All that was in the tablets I’d been taking was the plant’s dried and ground-up roots. Once I moved away, it was a little more challenging to find baldrian, which is why I started growing it. Here are my tips for how you can, too.

Valerian Root for Better Sleep

Taking valerian root extract can gradually make you drowsy and help you fall into a natural sleep. That’s why it’s a popular herb for those who have chronic or temporary sleep or anxiety issues. If that’s you, you may want to consider growing some in your garden.

Valerian is a more affordable and natural alternative to synthetic sleeping tablets, and it’s a beautiful plant that’s pollinator-friendly. However, keep in mind that valerian as a medicine isn’t for everyone. Be sure to consult your doctor or herbal practitioner, especially if you’re taking prescription medication or are unsure.

Valerian is considered non-habit-forming, which is beneficial if you have irregular sleep patterns and are concerned about developing a dependency. You take it about an hour before going to bed, and there are also a few ways to have it. Capsules are the most common, especially for those who purchase rather than grow valerian. Tincture is also an option if you can have alcohol, and if not, there’s valerian glycerite. The easiest way to take it with homegrown valerian is as a warm drink.

How to Grow Valerian

If you live in a temperate region (zones 4-9) and have space at the back of a sunny border, that’s where you should grow valerian. It’s tall and architectural, but appreciates the support of other plants or structures. I’ve grown it successfully alongside oxeye daisies and verbena bonariensis, and they tend to keep each other upright, even in my windy garden. If you have a friend with valerian, ask if you can have a root division or self-sown seedlings, since that’s the easiest way to grow them. They can also grow from basal cuttings. I originally started my plants off from valerian seeds, sowing them in spring.

Germination is easy as long as you lightly sprinkle and press the seeds into good-quality potting mix poured into a seed tray. Don’t bury them under more. The seeds themselves require light to germinate and must be kept moist, but not waterlogged, to grow. Once you see tiny sprouts, leave them to grow in the seed tray until they have developed true leaves. Then, plant them outside or in small pots until you’re ready to transplant them.

Valerian loves full sun and rich, moisture-retentive soil but will also grow in partial shade, if that’s all you have available. It’s also tolerant of both heavy and light soils. In windy places and sandy soil, it will likely need staking or some other form of support. Being hardy, it also thrives in both the wild and cultivated plantings. Many people forage for it in wild places, and it can be invasive outside its native habitats in Europe and Asia. So why add it to the garden at all? For me, there are several reasons.

Its delicate white flowers bloom in summer with a delicate floral fragrance that I wish I could bottle. These flowers attract clouds of bees and butterflies, and I love watching to see who visits. Last year, I even spotted a hummingbird hawk moth on them! Cats love valerian and might hang around while you’re harvesting the roots. They have a pungent scent that drives them wild, similar to catnip. Lastly, in autumn, you can dig the roots to use for calming skincare or as a natural sleep aid.

In their first year, expect valerian to grow about two to three feet tall, not flower, then die down for the winter. They’re a herbaceous perennial, though, so in early spring the following year, they’ll shoot up with new leaves and tall flower spikes with beautifully scented flowers that bloom for me from June to July. The flowers fade in August, and it’s then that they set seeds. If you don’t want them taking over, you can deadhead them before this.

It’s also said that you can increase the medicinal strength of the valerian root by removing the flower stalks before they bloom, but I always leave them on. Valerian can be a helpful herb, a scented flower, an attractive border planting, and a support pollinators all at once.

Valerian Self-Seeds

I’ve grown valerian for over ten years and have seen it thrive in both clay and lighter soils. In sandier soils or those lower in nutrients, plants can be smaller and their leaves more feathery. In heavier or nutrient-rich soil, plants and leaves can grow exceptionally large. Mine grows tall in my rich garden soil, often flowering at around five feet tall.

Once you get started, you won’t need additional seeds to grow valerian. They’re perennial and easily grow from seeds and division. They also readily self-seed. They can even spread rapidly and take over if you don’t keep them in check. To keep my patch going, I tend to transplant volunteer seedlings to where I want them to grow. They pop up in autumn and spring and are hardy little things that don’t mind being moved around.

Alternatively, you could dig up your main plants, harvest some of the roots, and replant. But honestly, once it gets going, you won’t have to do that. You’ll have more than enough young valerian plants popping up in your beds. You’ll need to be firm with weeding them out if you don’t want them to take over.

Harvesting Valerian

You can harvest valerian roots for medicine after they’ve grown for two summers. Once it starts dying back in the autumn, lift them with a garden fork, shake off as much soil as possible, and wash them immediately in a bucket of water. If you leave them to dry with the soil still attached, the roots will be very difficult to clean off later. After this, chop off the foliage and dry the roots thoroughly, ensuring they are completely dry.

Next, cut the roots from the crown and leaves. A sharp knife is fine, but scissors are great, too. Give them another rinse after this, then cut them into smaller pieces for drying or to use in a homemade tincture or glycerite. It’s best to cut or chop them to 1/4″ long, since the smaller the pieces, the quicker they’ll dry! It also increases the surface area of the root, for if you’re using them whole. You can compost the rest of the plant, or if there are enough roots and stems attached, you can replant it for next year. I’ve tried it and it works, especially if you remove most of the leaves and cut the plant down to about 6″ tall.

Drying Valerian Root

There are at least two methods for drying valerian roots. The first is to spread the chopped pieces out on herb drying racks and let them dry naturally in a dim and airy place. I’ve dried valerian in my garage before, and it works fine, but I now dry them in my work room, where a dehumidifier helps speed things along. It can take up to several weeks for them to dry this way, and at the end, the pieces are dark and brittle.

Alternatively, you can use a food dehydrator, which can thoroughly dry them in eight to twelve hours. It’s much quicker, and you don’t have to worry about roots not drying! Very handy in humid environments. You can use a temperature range from 95°F to 115°F (35°C to 46°C). Once dried, store the roots in a dry, clean, and airtight container out of direct sunlight. They can last two to three years before their quality begins to degrade. You can also grind or pulverize dried valerian roots and use it to fill empty capsules, which should be used within a year.

How to Make Valerian Decoction

To make valerian decoction, use second-year roots to create a type of simmered tea, called a decoction. For this, mix 3 g (1 teaspoon) of dried root (or double that amount fresh) with a cup of water. Simmer, but don’t boil, for fifteen minutes, then cool to a drinking temperature. Strain and drink before you want to go to sleep. A word of caution, though: taking valerian as a supplement is generally safe, but if you are on any other medication or have health issues, speak to your doctor.

For tea, you can blend valerian with more palatable flavors. You could stir in some vanilla after it’s made or pair it with calming herbs, such as chamomile, linden flowers, lavender, passionflower, and lemon balm. When using other herbs, it’s best to make a separate infusion (usually herbal tea or tisane) and then mix it with the decoction before drinking. Valerian isn’t a terrible taste, in my opinion, but it’s not great either. The flavor is why some people prefer to take valerian in capsules.

The last main way to take valerian is as a tincture or glycerite. Grain alcohol and glycerine are much better at capturing plant essence than most solvents. That can make it stronger than tea, and the active constituents can be more concentrated than in valerian-filled capsules. Glycerite is similar to an alcohol tincture, but it uses vegetable glycerin rather than alcohol as a solvent.

Cats Love Valerian Roots

Valerian roots have another use that might surprise you. Its pungent scent is irresistible to many cats, and they can go crazy for it! It causes them to start drooling and rolling around like adorable little clowns, like with catnip. If you have a cat that doesn’t react to catnip, try valerian. It can sometimes have a similar effect on them. Giving your kitty a little valerian before taking them into stressful situations can calm them down, and it’s often an ingredient in commercial pet calming medication.

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