The Weeds of St Leonards: Number 1 – Red Valerian

At this time of year it is hard to ignore the giant pink clouds of Valerian which fringe the seven streets area of St Leonards. The seeds of this sun and sea-loving plant nestle into the cracks in walls and thrive in the limey mortar, producing numerous raspberry pink plumed flowers.

Also known as Jupiter’s Beard and Spur Valerian, the plant is not actually closely related to true Valerian, a herb known for its sedative properties. So, whilst you can eat the leaves of Red Valerian in a salad, or boil the roots to make a soup, it will not send you to sleep… opinions vary as to how tasty it is, but if the cupboard is bare, you might feel brave enough to try some!

Local graphic designer and artist Erica Smith chose this plant to be the first in a series of botanical drawings of  local weeds. She said, “when I moved to St Leonards a couple of years ago, I was intrigued by these magnificent plants. I was fascinated to find out more about them and decided to paint a series of botanical drawings which celebrated the weeds which we see every day, but don’t necessarily know much about.”

Erica’s Weeds of St Leonards series will be on show at One Cafe in London Road in August. The next weed on her hit list is Green Alkanet – a big weed with hairy green leaves and small, intense blue flowers.

Also in: Green Times