Centranthus Ruber

Centranthus ruber – Red valerian

Centranthus ruber, commonly known as Red valerian, is a strong and floriferous perennial with a natural, airy appearance. From early summer well into the season, numerous small, star-shaped flowers appear in elegant clusters. The flowers range from pink to red, depending on the variety, and contrast beautifully with the blue-green foliage.

Red valerian is an excellent plant for a natural, Mediterranean-style or biodiversity-friendly garden. Its flowers are particularly attractive to bees, bumblebees, butterflies and other pollinating insects. Thanks to its long flowering period, the plant provides a valuable food source for pollinators throughout much of the summer.

One of the great advantages of Centranthus ruber is its excellent drought tolerance. Once established, it requires little water and thrives in warm, sunny and relatively dry locations. Red valerian prefers a well-drained, rather poor to moderately fertile soil and also tolerates stony or calcareous soils. Waterlogged conditions, especially in winter, should be avoided.

Centranthus ruber looks beautiful in rock gardens, dry-stone walls, borders, prairie-style planting and naturalistic gardens. It also grows well between paving stones or in a sunny spot beside a terrace. After flowering, the plant can readily self-seed in suitable conditions, allowing it to return naturally year after year.

Plant details

• Common name: Red valerian

• Botanical name: Centranthus ruber

• Type: perennial

• Flowering period: May/June – September

• Flower colour: pink to red

• Height: approx. 60–80 cm

• Position: full sun

• Soil: well-drained, rather dry and preferably calcareous

• Water requirement: low; highly drought tolerant once established

• Hardiness: hardy

• Bee- and butterfly-friendly: yes

• Biodiversity: highly valuable for pollinators

• Pruning: remove faded flower stems to encourage prolonged flowering; cut back in spring

• Planting distance: approx. 30–40 cm