Valeriana jatamansi aka Indian Valerian

Valeriana jatamansi also goes by the name Indian valerian. It is a perennial, a plant that lives for years. It belongs to Caprifoliaceae, the honeysuckle family. Sources differ on where it grows as a native. Kew lists northeastern Yunnan in China. Plants For A Future gives a much wider Asian range. It spans eastern Afghanistan, the Himalayas and parts of China. It includes northern Myanmar and parts of India too. The RHS says it is not native to Britain or Ireland. It lists Valeriana wallichii as another name for this plant.

The plant grows to about 1.6 feet [0.5 metres] tall. Plants For A Future records it in woods and shrubby places. It also grows on open slopes in mountain regions. Records place it at 4,900–11,800 feet [1,500–3,600 metres] above sea level. Each plant bears either male or female flowers, not both. Insects carry pollen from flower to flower. Grow both sexes if you need seed. The supplied species records give no leaf shape or flower colour. They give no bloom dates or facts about the fruit.

Plants For A Future says it prefers moist soil. It can grow in sand, loam or clay soils. Its listed pH range is mildly acid to mildly alkaline. The same source says it cannot grow in shade. Its growing notes warn that little is known about this species. Some of those notes draw on the wider genus. That account leaves its ability to bear British winters unclear. The supplied evidence gives no firm hardiness zone.

Plants For A Future says to sow seed in spring. Sow it under a cold frame with a light soil cover. Light helps the seed sprout. Move young plants to their own pots when large enough to handle. Strong young plants can go outside in summer. Keep smaller plants under cover for their first winter. You can also split plants in spring to raise more. Grow small split clumps in pots until they take hold well.

The roots have a place in past forms of medicine. Uses include treating lack of sleep and the urge to vomit. These reports do not prove that home treatments are safe. Plants For A Future lists no known food use. The dried rhizome serves as incense. Root oil has uses in perfume and hair products. Taking wild roots has raised fears for the plant's survival. Those fears do not place it in a formal threat group. The supplied records give no pest or disease details for this species. Nor do they give it a species-specific toxicity class.