Valerian (Valeriana officinalis), also sometimes called All Heal or Garden Heliotrope, is a honeysuckle family perennial plant native to Europe and Asian. Flowers are white or light pink, and plants can reach five feet tall when in flower. The mature roots are commonly used fresh or dried as tea and have a telltale smell that is reminiscent of dirty feet. Valerian has historical and anecdotal use as a sleep aid, although this is inconclusive based on current scientific literature.
Plants can produce harvestable roots within their first year of growth if seeds are late-winter started started in a greenhouse.
Photo credit of flower: James Lindsey at Ecology of Commanster. Licensed by Creative Commons.