Mulberry Creek Herb Farm: Herbs, Recipes, Stories, Ideas and other things A-Z

Herbs, Recipes, Stories, Ideas and other things A-Z

Valerian \ Garden Heliotrope

Valerian officinalis

Cold Tolerance: Zone 4a 4b 5a 5b 6a 6b 7a 7b 8a 8b 9a 9b
Light: P.Shade-P.Sun to Shade
Height: 3 - 5 feet
Water: Wet-Normal
Soil: Organic-Loamy
Common Uses:Medicinal, , Ornamental, , Shade, , Tea

Considered by many horticulturists to be one of the finest hardy perennials for the shade. Fragrant 5"" pinkish-white flower clusters in mid-summer perfume the early evening air. What irony then, that the medicinal roots should smell so bad. A cold tea made from dried 2 year old roots is used for colds, insomnia and nervous disorders.

Valerian, Garden Pink

Valerian officinalis 'BLBP19'

Cold Tolerance: Zone 4b 5a 5b 6a 6b 7a 7b 8a
Light: P. Shade – P. Sun
Height: 32h x 18w inches
Water: Normal
Soil: Sandy-Loamy
Common Uses:Medicinal, Butterfly

Pinkish-white umbels tower over fern-like foliage flagging down some resident butterflies and moths. The particularly high essential oil, valeric acid and extract make the roots appealing to humans to normally be used as a nerve tonic and relaxer. It is best to allow the plant at least two years of growth before harvesting some of its roots.

Valerian, Miniature

Valerian supina

Cold Tolerance: Zone 4b 5a 5b 6a 6b 7a 7b 8a
Light: Sun-P.Sun to P.Shade
Height: 3in. x 12in. wide
Water: Normal
Soil: Sandy-Loamy
Flowers: Late Spring to Middle Spring
Common Uses:Alpine Rockery, Borders, Butterfly, Garden Railroads, Groundcover, Miniature/Faery Garden, Ornamental, Walk About

For those of you fond of the delicate, fragrant flowers of ""Garden Heliotrope"" a.k.a. ""Valerian"" but not the four to five feet stalks, well how about this proud, 2 inch small cousin that flowers pink most of the summer? Forms a neat, 1 foot in diameter, tight mat of 1/2"" leaves. Native to high European Alps meadows.

Verbena Canadensis W Ben

Verbena, Butterfly

Verbena bonariensis

Cold Tolerance: Zone 10a 10b 7a 7b 8a 8b 9a 9b
Light: Full Sun to Full Sun
Height: 3-3 1/2 Feet
Water: Normal
Soil: Loamy
Common Uses:Butterfly, , Cut Flower, , Ornamental

Pinkish purple blossoms sway on top 3 foot slender stems, attracting the eye and horn of many drivers. It's a natural cut flower which also lures every butterfly in the neighborhood. Warning: it's a self-sowing annual which happens to be O.K. for us. Use bark or other mulch where you don't want it to self-sow.

Verbena, Homestead Purple

Verbena canadensis `Homestead Purple'

Cold Tolerance: Zone 6b 7a 7b 8a 8b 9a 9b-11
Light: Full Sun to Full Sun
Height: 5 feet+ spread
Water: Normal
Soil: Organic-Loamy
Flowers: Middle Summer
Common Uses:Butterfly, , Ornamental

A hardy perennial that flowers like an annual, if you live in Zones 6/7 - 10. For us northern folk, it is an annual with outstanding bright purple blossoms that show off vibrantly from hundreds of feet away. Will form a 5 foot mat that trails over rocks ;amp; walls in one season which is why it graced the cover of our 1st catalog. Not all of our herbs have to be used from flower to roots. This one is for sheer enjoyment. Flowers from around June, continuously, through fall even after autumn frosts. Introduced to the nursery trade (along with ornamental Sweet Potatoes) by Dr. Allen Armitage, University of Georgia, who told me he wished he had a penny for everyone of these that have been sold. He would be retired. We're glad he's not!

Veronica, M & Mini Blue Carpet

Veronica spicata nana 'M & M Blue Carpet'

Cold Tolerance: Zone 4b 5a 5b 6a 6b 7a 7b 8a 9a
Light: Full Sun to P.Sun
Height: 2in. x 12in. spreading
Water: Normal
Soil: Sandy
Flowers: Early Summer to Late Summer to Middle Summer
Common Uses:Alpine Rockery, Borders, Butterfly, Groundcover, Miniature/Faery Garden, Ornamental, Walk About

M & M Blue Carpet is a very sweet Mulberry Creek introduction selected from a seed grown variety that has extra small leaves, but all the same flower power as other veronicas. Bright blue buds pop up through the carpet of green leaves each summer. Slowly spreads to form a thick carpet. Plant about 6-12 inches apart for an eventually solid groundcover.

Veronica, Sunshine

Veronica repens 'Sunshine'

Cold Tolerance: Zone 5b 6a 6b 7a 7b 8a 9a
Light: Full Sun to P.Sun
Height: 3/4in. groundcover
Water: Wet-Normal
Soil: Organic
Flowers: Early Summer
Common Uses:Alpine Rockery, Butterfly, Garden Railroads, Groundcover, Miniature/Faery , Garden, Ornamental, Shade, Walk About

Tiny, pinkish spikes in June add another 75 watts to this already fluorescent gold leaved ground-cover. Needs full, hot sun for best color. Will also brighten any partially shaded pocket where thymes won't grow. Here the leaf color fades to lime green only to start over gold each spring.

Violet, World's Smallest

Viola verecunda var. yakusimana

Cold Tolerance: Zone 6a 6b 7a 7b 8a 9a 9b-11
Light: P.Shade-P.Sun to Sun-P.Shade
Height: 1/2in. x 4
Water: Wet-Normal
Soil: Organic
Flowers: Early Spring to Middle Spring
Common Uses:Garden Railroads, Groundcover, Miniature/Faery Garden, Ornamental, Shade

It's BAAACK! Absolutely the world's smallest violet with a very long botanical name. Each heart-shaped leaf fits comfortably on the head of a pencil eraser. Tiny lavender & white flowers come out just above foliage during cooler weather. Will spread by seed, so use it between stepping stones in a moist shade. Never a nuisance.