It likes to stand in a spot in the sun or semi-shade, is known for its healing powers and, with its delicate flowers, provides light and relaxed accents in beds - the valerian. What should you know about its leaves?

Valerian leaves are also edible

They sprout from the end of March/mid-April

Valerian sprout every year, a perennial that has helped many people with its calming effect. Budding begins with the leaves between late March and mid-April.

External characteristics of the leaves

The leaves look rather inconspicuous. Nevertheless, they are distinctive. Once you know what the leaves look like, you will be able to recognize valerian well in the future. They have the following characteristics:

  • imparipinnate
  • colored light green to mint green
  • slightly hairy
  • arranged opposite
  • about 20 cm long

Let's take a closer look at the leaves. The lower leaves form a rosette at the base. They are stalked. The leaves of valerian get smaller and smaller towards the top. They no longer have stems, but are sitting on the stem. The stem itself is erect, brown to reddish brown in color and hollow.

The stems to which the individual leaflets adhere are narrow. The 5 to 23 leaflets are between 6 and 12 cm long. They are lanceolate to oval, pointed at the end, wedge-shaped at the base and slightly serrate at the edges. Rarely the leaflets are entire.

Can you eat the leaves and how do they taste?

Valerian leaves are edible. They are tastiest when they are fresh. Their taste is reminiscent of lamb's lettuce. But with increasing age, i.e. towards the flowering time, the leaves taste less good.

Due to the fading aroma towards flowering, if you want to collect the leaves, you should only harvest them until the long flower stalks shoot up towards the end of April. But basically the leaves can be picked from April to October.

Other uses for the leaves

Ideally, you should use the harvested leaves when they are fresh. Since they taste similar to lamb's lettuce, they can be used to enrich salads. They are also suitable fresh for smoothies and stews. They also taste good straight from the plant.

If you have dried the leaves, you can crumble them and use them for tea. To do this, take about 1 teaspoonful of the dried leaves and pour them into a tea strainer with 125 ml of boiling water. The tea tastes mildly spicy.

tips

As soon as the long stalk shoots up with the flower, it is best not to harvest the leaves. Then most of the power of the plant (including the ingredients) has passed into the flower.

Category:

Herbs