Hey dear Hive community, I wish you all a good day and a nice start to the new week! By the way, in ancient Germanic mythology, Monday is dedicated to the god of the moon Mani and is also considered the day of the roman moon goddess Luna. This may be relatively interesting to know by the way, but this post should be about something else, a plant that I would like to present.
Common valerian can be seen here, which is scientifically also called Valeriana officinalis. I was given a cutting of this plant by someone I know last year and it has survived the winter well and is growing great! It could stay outside in the winter because Valeriana officinalis is hardy and perennial. It has lost all its leaves but that is not a problem as the rhizomes stay in the soil and will grow out again in the following year.
The flowering period starts from about May and it is relatively widespread and can be found in many countries, there are about 300 different species. Common valerian prefers bright locations as well as nutrient soils and can reach a size between 30 - 200 cm, these conditions are optimal, but the plant also copes well with partial shade.
Now I would like to come to a very well-known property of this plant of which one or the other may have already heard something, the medical effect. Valeriana officinalis is considered one of the oldest medicinal plants and was even used by Hippocrates and in the 17th century, the plant was more researched and known for its properties on the human body and the nervous system.
Common valerian is applicable in many ways and best known is probably the relaxing effect, which is why it can be used well against sleep problems or general restlessness or fears. Valerian can also be used against inflammation, wound healing and it can be used well for detoxification. In the pharmaceutical sector, the roots are mainly used, but the leaves and flowers are also very interesting. As always, you should ask your trusted doctor about the correct use, dosage and possible side effects!
The Latin name derives from valere, which is supposed to mean strong and also in mythology, for example in Nordic mythology, the plant is associated with Balder. In addition, symbolically, it is considered a protective plant and was hung on the door by people at the time to protect against evil beings.
Many thanks for stopping by and I hope you like my new contribution! I used my camera Sony Alpha 6000 and Sony SEL-55210 Telephoto Zoom Lens (55-210mm) to take these pictures.a
