VALEBIANA 



VALEBIAN OBDEB 



CENTEANTHUS 489 



piunately out. Flowers white or pink, 

 in cymes, spikes or loose corymbs or 

 panicles. Calyx cut into 5-15 hair-like 

 divisions. Corolla 5-lobed, slightly gib- 

 bous at the base. Stamens 3, rarely 1-2 

 by abortion. 



Culture and Propagation. — Although 

 there are about 150 species of Valerian 

 comparatively few are of any garden value. 

 They all iloiu-ish in ordinary good and well- 

 drained garden soil, but prefer somewhat 

 chalky surroundings. They are useful 

 for the rougher parts of the garden, and 

 may be planted on old ruins, rockeries, 

 banks &c. in the same way as the species 

 ■of Centranthus mentioned below. Pro- 

 pagation is effected easily by seeds sown 

 as soon as ripe in cold frames ; in gentle 

 heat in March ; and in the open border 

 in April and May. In the two first cases 

 the seedlings may be transplanted about 

 the end of May. Very often seedlings 

 from self-sown seeds spring up sponta- 

 neously, and thus reproduce the plant 

 naturally. Division of the roots may 

 also be adopted to increase the plants in 

 early autumn or in spring. 



V. montana. — An elegant perermial 

 4 6 in. high, native of the Alps. It forms 

 bold masses in the rockery or border, and 

 has entire leaves, the lower ones being 

 oblong spoon-shaped, the upper ones 

 lance-shaped. The beautiful soft rosy 

 pink flowers appear from April to June, 

 and are borne in regular corymbs. 



Culture dc. as above. 



V. officinalis {CaVs Valerian; All 

 Heal). — This perennial is a native of the 

 British Islands, and is found wild near 

 the banks of streams, and in damp pas- 

 tures. It grows about 3 ft. high, and the 

 glaucous leaves are aU pinnately cut into 

 entire or serrate lobes. Flowers from 

 June to August, pale pink or white, in 

 3-forked corymbs. 



Culture Sc. as above. Although not 

 so handsome as other Valerians, this 

 species is useful for damp shady parts of 

 the garden. It emits a peculiar odour 

 which has a decided attraction for cats. 

 These garden pests roll over and over the 

 plants and enjoy themselves but spoil the 

 plants. The Cat Valerian therefore 

 should not be planted near choicer peren- 

 nials, as the latter are sure to suffer from 

 the attention of the cats. 



V. Phu. — A rather strong-smelling Cau- 

 casian Valerian with fistular stems 2-4 ft. 



high and glaucous leaves, the lower ones 

 of which are oval, oblong, entire or 

 toothed, the upper ones being pinnately 

 cut. Flowers white, from June to August. 

 The variegated form with golden leaves 

 in spring is very pretty. 



Culture do. as above. This species is 

 also a favourite with cats. 



Other Valerians sometimes met with 

 are V. pyrenaica from the Pyrenees. It 

 is a rather coarse-growing perennial 

 2-4 ft. high, and has large heart-shaped 

 deeply toothed leaves often 1 ft. across, 

 and pale pink flowers like those of the 

 Cat Valerian in July and August; and 

 V. angustifolia, a glaucous alpine plant 

 about 1^-2 ft. high with linear lance- 

 shaped leaves, all entire and nearly per- 

 foliate. Flowers from May to July, bright 

 rose, but occasionally white. They re- 

 quire similar treatment to the other 

 Valerians. 



CENTRANTHUS {Spur Valerian). 

 A genus of 10 species of ornamental her- 

 baceous annuals or perennials with entire 

 or pinnate leaves. Flowers in corymbose 

 or panicled cymes at the ends of the 

 shoots. Calyx-limb feathery. Corolla 

 tube slender, flattened lengthways, divided 

 and spurred at the base. Stamens usually 

 1. Fruit membranous. 



Culture and Propagation. — These 

 plants grow well in ordinary garden soil, 

 and are very handsome in the flower 

 border, on old walls, or rockeries. The 

 perennial kinds may be increased by 

 dividing the roots in early autumn or in 

 spring ; by cuttings of the young growths 

 or side shoots in spring or autumn under 

 handlights ; or by seeds sown as soon as 

 ripe in cold frames, afterwards pricking 

 the seedlings off, and growing under 

 glass until about the end of May following 

 when they may be transferred to the 

 open air. Seeds may also be sown in 

 gentle heat in March, or in the open 

 border in April and May, but the best 

 plants as a rule are froni seeds sown in 

 autumn. The seed of annuals should be 

 sown about March in gentle heat so as to 

 have the plants ready for the border at 

 the end of May. 



C. macrosiphon. — A showy, compact- 

 growing Spanish annual 1^2 ft. high, 

 with fleshy stems and smooth, shining, 

 broadly oval ajid coarsely toothed 

 glaucous leaves, the lower ones stalked 

 and jagged-edged, upper ones sessUe. ' 



