Red & White Valerian

Red valerian is unmistakeable as it grows all over Cornwall it grows on tall stems from old stone walls, roadside verges, railway cuttings, cliffs and rocks. Introduced into gardens before the 1600s, this plant from the Mediterranean soon escaped and became naturalised in the wild. Despite its non-native status, it is a good source of nectar from May to October for bees and butterflies. But this year sees an abundance of White Valerian around the coast.