Cemetery plant’s link to Pied Piper of Hamelin
THE Newtown Road Cemetery plant of the month is the Valerian.
What a showstopper!
Strictly speaking, Valerian is a plant from Europe which has become well established in the UK as a naturalised plant over a long time. It is a tall perennial growing up to 1.5 metres with scented pink, reddish and sometimes white flowers and can be found on both sides of the path along the west wall of the cemetery.
Its name is derived from the Latin ‘velere’ meaning “be strong, be healthy”, which gives a clue about its medicinal properties, the most well-known of which is as a cure for insomnia.
The root extract was given by herbalists 2000 years ago to improve
relaxation and sleep (has been referred to as Nature’s Valium).
It is thought to suppress activity in the part of the brain which processes fear and strong responses to stress.
Claims have also been made for its efficacy in cases of hyperactivity in children and obsessive compulsive disorder.
As it can help to prevent involuntary muscle spasm, there might be a chance it could be used to control epileptic seizures.
As with many herbal remedies, it is not licensed and standardising the dose is difficult so it needs to be treated with caution and some scepticism.
Self-treatment is not advised as it may cause drowsiness when using machinery and could also interact with other medications and aggravate any existing liver problems.
However, it is really valuable as a food source for flying insects particularly hoverflies and moths which have an important role as pollinators.
On a lighter note, it is interesting to learn that it was honoured by ancient Egyptians because it is loved by their favourite animal, the cat.
Perhaps you remember the story of the Pied Piper of Hamelin, who in 1284 undertook to rid the town of rats?
It has been suggested that he used Valerian as bait.
Possibly – but the story goes on to relate that he bewitched and abducted all the village children in the process. So be careful what you wish for.
JOAN STACEY
Friends of Newtown Road Cemetery