Hi, I'm a new member and I thought this would be the best place to ask a question about Valerian I've been growing from seed. I wanted to do an experiment to see how this plant from a northern climate would do here in Hawaii, if I could get it to grow during our winter and what would happen the following fall and winter without any freeze to kill off the above ground parts. The climate here at my location on the Big Island is not as warm as the rest of the state being that we are 1,300 feet above sea level. Average winter high and lows are about 74 and 56 while summer highs and lows average about 78 and 64. We get 180 inches of rain a year. So I planted seeds in early December in an egg carton in a mini greenhouse to protect them from the hard rain and they never grew much at all by even April, as they were still just little seedlings. I gave up on growing them but then remembered I had also planted seeds in a 7 gallon pot that I left unattended way out in the yard. Wouldn't you know, that was the one that was actually growing, though still not as much as expected after all those months. So here it is now and it's growing like crazy! I'm growing it for the beautiful flowers but it still won't flower, which is the question I'm asking. Will it ever have flowers if it hasn't already?

That is one lush lookin Valerian!
Here they, along with hollyhocks, are roadside weeds that pop up in every crack in every scrabbly alley and stoney rubble pile. They bloom like crazy in hot sun with lean soil...sometimes it seems with no soil, just stoney calcareous substrate. If I were to hazard a guess, it is living life in the lap of luxury with your temperate climate and plentiful water. Stress it and see if it doesn't decide to bloom before the world comes to an end.

Thank you. It's good to know it grows so well in a warm climate where you are. Does the Valerian there die off in winter or does it stay growing year round?

It depends on the winter, the climate here is not nearly as consistent and tropical as yours. We have hot dry summers with temperatures hitting 100 quite often during August, but even on those hot days nighttime lows will fall into the 60's. Winters are cold(ish) and wet with occasional frosts but seldom anything much colder than that; but overnight lows in January and February will often be freezing or slightly below. This winter was very wet and warmer than normal and I did see some valerian that was still alive - barely. Generally it does die back. We get something around 1/3 the annual rainfall that you do and the vast majority of that falls from November - March. By the time we are in the warmer months late May through September it is uncommon for us to have any significant rainfall. For example, In the last roughly month we have received .06 inches of rain...almost not measurable...and the valerian in the alleyway at the end of the lane is thriving and in bloom. Again, it looks scraggly as hell compared to yours, but that is how it grows and I think why it flowers; it wants to set seed before it pops its clogs.

Thank you for answering i was looking for such information)

I do wonder - the leaf shape of your plant is far different to the Centranthus I know (what I know as Valerian); which is the danger of using common names.
For fun I just strolled to the bottom of the lane and took these two pictures of the weedy hard-scabble valerian to which I refer.

Definitely not the same plant at all. The seeds I planted are Valeriana officinalis.

Same family (or it was) Valerianaeae, different genus. Close relatives. Different conditions liking more moisture. So your chances of blooming would appear to be good. Give it as much sun as you can...then whisper that if it doesn't bloom you will be composting it.

Aloha @hawaiigar ,
Just wondering what ever happened w your valerian. I'm also on Big Island, at similar elevation, and my plant looks just like your photo. Planted it from seed about this time last year. It's been in a pot and I'm thinking about transplanting it. Wondering what its future holds.

I have good luck with valerian. I have the white flowering plant. I bought 3 pots several years ago and the tag was kind of iffy on where to plant. Not much info. But sun was needed. However these plants have migrated through out my beds so they must be happy. My leaves are just like your picture. The stalks get tall and the white flowers smell like a vanilla cake. The flowers last for a good while and they and the orange ditch lily are my spring alarms. They signal the growing season. I'm in zone 7a or b depending. The roots can be dried and pulverized to make an herbal treatment for anxiety but don't quote me on this. Look up this plants benefits first. The roots do have a rather unpleasant odor. I do have some that are growing in the shade. They reseeded there. It seems that they are not a heavily rooted plant and can be ripped out easily.