Escape roots
Some of our favourite plants are foreign imports who flourished on British soil. David Overend reports.
The great escape was underway many years before Steve McQueen tried to ride a motorbike into Switzerland and came a cropper on a fence (remember the film of 1963?) Ever since man/woman moved countries (and continents) they brought plants with them. Some came because they were used for medicinal purposes, others for culinary uses. Then, a couple or so centuries ago, they arrived in great numbers to decorate the gardens of the rich.
Then, despite stone walls and supposedly-impenetrable hedges, that great escape began. Unfortunately, particularly with the likes of Himalayan balsam and certain rhododendrons, such as ponticum, the country is still suffering. As with Japanese knotweed, some plants would have been better left well alone.
Fortunately, some of the plants imported into the UK have taken advantage of the chance to spread their wings (roots) and have become (for the most part) welcome additions.
Red valerian (Centranthus ruber) is one of them. It’s a hardy gem capable of growing in exposed sites where little else can cling on for dear life.
Red valerian is also a popular border perennial, blooming for early summer and often reaching a height of three feet.
It asks for little – it enjoys poor, welldrained soil and plenty of sunshine. Deadhead it regularly and it will flower for months.
A walk on the wild side is not necessary if you want to enjoy the sight of masses of red valerian, because this wildflower is very much at home in urban settings too.
Originally, it was a native of the Mediterranean region, but once it was introduced to the UK, it found a whole new world of habitats to explore and explode.
Between the stonework of walls, bridges and other vertical surfaces now seem to be full of this attractive wildflower. It’s also a common sight on railway embankments and coastal paths and on even reservoir dam walls.
The flowers first appear towards the end of May, and blooms (which can be red, pink or white) will continue to appear until the first frosts take their toll.
The leaves of red valerian and roots have been eaten for centuries – the leaves either fresh in salads or lightly boiled, and the roots boiled in soups.