Buy red valerian (syn. Centranthus ruber 'Pretty Betsy' Valeriana 'Coccinea' Centranthus ruber

Centranthus ruber

red valerian (syn. Centranthus ruber 'Pretty Betsy' Valeriana 'Coccinea'

red valerian (syn. Centranthus ruber 'Pretty Betsy' Valeriana 'Coccinea'

Dense clusters of reddish-pink flowers appear from July to October on tall, fleshy stems with glaucous leaves.

Red valerian is long flowering and easy to grow. It's ideal for a sunny wildflower or seaside garden with poor but well-drained soil, or for growing between the cracks in walls.

Centranthus ruber self-seeds freely and prefers a chalky or alkaline soil.

How to care for Centranthus ruber:

Centranthus thrives in well-drained soil and full sun, making it perfect for gravel gardens, coastal planting, and dry borders. It tolerates poor, sandy, or chalky soils and will even grow in walls or cracks in paving.

Once established, it is drought-tolerant and requires little watering, though occasional deep watering in prolonged dry spells will encourage better flowering.

Deadhead regularly throughout the summer to prolong flowering. In autumn, cut the plant back down to the ground and compost the dead stems.

Self-seeding freely, it may need occasional thinning to prevent overcrowding, but this also allows it to naturalise beautifully in the right setting.

Flowering period:

Eventual height:

0.8m

Eventual spread:

0.45m

Position:

Full sun

Rate of growth:

Average

Soil:

Moderately fertile, moist, well-drained soil

Hardiness:

Fully hardy

This perennial dies back to below ground level each year in autumn, then fresh new growth appears again in spring.