Centranthus ruber

Red Valerian ( Centranthus ruber)

The Red Valerian ( Centranthus ruber ) is a species of the genus spur Flowers ( Centranthus ) in the subfamily of the valerian plants ( Valerianoideae ).

Features

This perennial herbaceous plant with slightly woody base is frosted bald and blue-green. It reaches heights of growth from 30 to 80 cm.

The oppositely arranged leaves constantly leaves are ovate - lanceolate. They are 3-8 inches long and are usually entire. The upper leaves have a heart-shaped base and are sitting. The basal leaves are stalked.

The dark pink (rarely white ) flowers are in dense cymes. The corolla tube is 7-10 mm long and has five unequal lobes. They are spurred down the thin spur is 5 to 10 millimeters long. The spur is more than twice as long as the ovary. The bloom has only one stamen

From the chalice, the bristles of the flight fiederigen fruits that are spread by the wind develop.

Bloom time is from April to October.

Occurrence

The Red Valerian is Mediterranean spread from southern Europe, northwest Africa and Asia Minor. In the Canary Islands, the Azores and Madeira it is probably wild.

The locations of rock and masonry columns, rock debris and roadsides are preferred.

Pharmacological significance

As a medicinal drug to spur flower root ( radix Centranthi ) serves.

You yourself will not be used medicinally but only their ingredients. In it, namely more valepotriates ( iridoids ) are included as in medicinal valerian (Valeriana officinalis ); but it does not contain essential oil and no alkaloids.

Towards a Tagessedativum also another effect profile is noted as the medicinal valerian. So stand out compensatory effects in restlessness, irritability, anxiety and tension states and poor concentration.

Others

This species is often cultivated as an ornamental plant and wild occasionally. There is also a white ( ' bus ') and a reddish ( ' coccineus ') cultivar.