Spotlight on valerian 🌿

[pamelaspence]

Hi everyone, I thought I would a thread to shine a bit of light on the wonderful plant valerian. I grow it in my herb field so I will be updating you on this year’s progress as we go along. But on this cold January morning there isn’t much to see!
So instead here’s a tour around some of my favourite older herbals - one from 1633 showing how herbalists have viewed valerian over the ages. The beauty of sofi is that we bring together both ancient knowledge and modern research to really capture the essence of our plants.
https://vimeo.com/670019497/483036fc2c
Hope you enjoy!
Pamela
@Kaveh @MJB @stephendahmermd @alexwalkerjones thought you might enjoy too!

[laurent.rossier]

thank you Pamela - wow what an exciting tour through some of your books. I look forward to the next episode in Pamela’s Sofi-Talk!

[dannytobin68]

Hi Pamela
I loved your video and the way you came across it really was most interesting . Your students are lucky to have you as a lecturer and teacher your passion for the subject really is infectious I look forward to the next one.
Kindest regards
Danny.

[pamelaspence]

Hi Danny,
That is so kind of you thank you!
Very glad you enjoyed it and I look forward to sharing more as the growing season gets underway…
Pamela

[stephendahmermd]

love this @pamelaspence - I read recently that some believe that the name Valerian is derived from the Latin word valere meaning “to be
in health.” is there any truth to that belief?

[pamelaspence]

Glad you liked it! Indeed, most of my herbals that mention the origin of the name say that it is called after the Latin ‘valere’. This seems very plausible since many of our medicinal plants are named in this way - Salvia (sage) from salvare ‘to save’ etc.

And of course for those haven’t come across the naming conventions before, the the second part of the name ‘officinalis’ (for some plants ‘officinale’) tells us it was recognised as an official medicinal plant. and part of the approved pharmacopoeia.

[Kaveh]

Speaking on valerian, our first formulation at sofi, I asked our lovely botanist at sofi - Dr Michael Jeffery Balick (@MJB) to write a short entry about valerian. I loved what he shared with me so much that we asked our sofi voice which you may have heard on our Ode to Pioneers to give a reading … I really like it (just listening to it) … thought you may like to hear it as well. Happy Sunday. xx

sofi plants | a story by michael j balick:

[laurent.rossier]

@Kaveh
This is AMAZING and FANTASTIC!!! After listening to this (and I couldn’t help but be constantly reminded about Sir David Attenborough…) I would hope that Sofi produces many more such recordings (and if you do plan it there could be a super efficient way of producing them…)
Thank you so much for sharing this - really impressive and interesting!

[dannytobin68]

Wonderful voice , very soothing and interesting of course , I look forward to many more.

[Kaveh]

Thx @dannytobin68 and pleased you like @laurent.rossier … I totally agree and share your enthusiasm (for more)! I certainly hope more to follow! Happy Monday both and here’s to seeing of this amazing month of Jan with one final post we have been working on … another update on the S1 boxes coming shortly!

[pamelaspence]

I was hoping to give everyone the first peek of my valerian plants up at the herb field today but unfortunately they are still fast asleep.

Instead please meet last year’s valerian in full bloom. This is what those sleeping plants are aiming for in a few months time.

From tiny acorns as the saying goes…

So important to remember the connection to the plant itself

while we all learn to spray our amazing sofi sticks

[laurent.rossier]

Thank you so much @pamelaspence for sharing!
It’s a beautiful plan!! Is there a strong smell once they are in full bloom?

[Kaveh]

And we are having the roots aren’t we @pamelaspence hence the strong flavours we are having to work with.

[pamelaspence]

Absolutely. The root is very different in character from the aerial parts! I have a picture somewhere… will look it out when i have a moment!

[pamelaspence]

It is beautiful isn’t it? The blooms are very delicately perfumed and really pleasant. There’s definitely some other funky chemistry going on with the roots which is what we use medicinally!

[sabrinahun]

Hi it won’t let me open the herbal how can i get into it

[sabrinahun]

Wow amazing they are lovely

[pamelaspence]

Thanks! Am glad you enjoyed having a look

[pamelaspence]

Ok I was about to issue a serious SOS that valerian had got itself into such a deep and restful sleep it was refusing to get up. But! Finally! Valerian has decided to wake

[sagensands]

I also have a valerian plant,just one . I have a heart leaf. I only got it last year. A very good friend gave me it. I also have lavender, lemon balm,chamomile. I dont have have a soil garden, unfortunately its been concreted over . So i only have pots . Hopefully i be getting a allotment soon . Ive still yet to use any valerian in a tea. Hopefully next year when its a bit bigger.