Valeriana

Family Valerianaceae. All plants of this group emit essential oils with a characteristic odor that so attracts cats.

This scent is very persistent. The father of plant systematics, Carl Linnaeus, already noted that dried herbarium specimens of valerian retain their characteristic scent for a century. In the 19th century in Austria people collected valerian and exported it to Egypt and Syria, where this plant was used to scent baths.

Location: sun-loving, but only with sufficient moisture. Can tolerate partial shade. Prefer fertile garden soils. Moisture-loving. Do not require transplanting for many years. Most species are winter-hardy.

Propagation: by seed and vegetatively. Seeds are small, but there are no difficulties with germination and raising seedlings. With early spring sowing in protected ground, flowering occurs in the 2nd year. They propagate vegetatively easily — by division and by basal (root) cuttings. The best period is the beginning of spring growth.