
Cultivate Valerian in Your Herb Garden for its Medicinal Benefits Native to Europe and parts of Asia, Valerian is a perennial flowing plant with straight, hollow stems topped by an umbrella-shaped fringe of delicate pink or white flowers. Despite its elegant look, its roots, when dry, can give off an unpleasant odor. Ever since the time of ancient Greece and Rome, valerian (Valeriana officinalis) has been used as a folk remedy for a variety of ailments, such as insomnia, anxiety, nervousness and heart palpitations. Its popularity as…