# Annual Valerian (*Centranthus calcitrapae*)

The Annual Valerian is a cheerful flower that blooms in bright colors like pink and red. It's a favorite among butterflies and bees, making gardens lively and fun!

- **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant)
- **Rarity:** Common
- **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low
- **Habitat:** Grasslands

![Annual Valerian](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Centranthus_calcitrapa.JPG&width=800)

Photo: Xemenendura, CC BY-SA 4.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Centranthus_calcitrapa.JPG)

## Appearance

The Annual Valerian has slender, often branched stems reaching up to two feet, topped with clusters of tiny, star-shaped flowers. These delicate blooms are typically a bright pink to purplish-red, distinguishing it from other similar roadside wildflowers.

## Taxonomy

- **Kingdom:** Plantae
- **Phylum:** Tracheophyta
- **Class:** Magnoliopsida
- **Order:** Dipsacales
- **Family:** Caprifoliaceae
- **Genus:** Centranthus

## Interesting facts

- In Mediterranean regions, young Annual Valerian leaves are sometimes added to salads!
- Its scientific name means 'spur-valerian,' for the small spur on its tiny flowers.
- Its tiny seeds can hitch a ride on animal fur or even your clothes!
- This plant is often one of the first to grow in disturbed or cleared areas.

## Special abilities

- **Quick Sprouter:** Annual Valerian can grow quickly and complete its life cycle rapidly, helping it thrive in changing environments.
- **Seed Sprinkler:** Annual Valerian produces many small seeds that scatter widely, ensuring new plants can sprout far and wide.
- **Hardy Rooter:** Annual Valerian has roots that can grip and grow even in poor or rocky soils, letting it colonize tough spots.

## Measurements & details

- **Height:** 10-60 cm
- **Spread:** 10-30 cm
- **Flower Size:** 0.3-0.6 cm
- **Bloom Season:** Spring to early summer
- **Edible:** No
- **Toxicity:** None
- **Lifecycle:** Annual
- **Pollination Method:** Insect

## Ecological connections

- **Pollinates:** Honey bee (*Apis mellifera*) — Collects nectar and pollen from flowers.
- **Pollinates:** Painted Lady butterfly (*Vanessa cardui*) — Feeds on nectar from its small blooms.
- **Eaten by:** [European Goldfinch](https://www.snappit.app/explore/european-goldfinch) (*Carduelis carduelis*) — May feed on the small, ripe seeds.

## Traits

- [Flowering](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/flowering): Flowering plants are any plants that produce flowers as part of their reproductive cycle.
- [Summer Blooming](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/summer-blooming): Summer blooming plants produce their flowers during the summer season, often providing vibrant color when many other plants have finished.
- [Fragrant Flower](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/fragrant-flower): Fragrant flowers emit a pleasant aroma, often to attract pollinators or for defense.
- [Colorful](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/colorful): Colorful describes organisms or objects displaying a wide range of bright and distinct colors.
- [Grassland](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/grassland): Grassland habitats are terrestrial biomes dominated by grasses and herbaceous plants, supporting a variety of grazing animals.
- [Pollinator Magnet](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/pollinator-magnet): Describes plants that are particularly attractive and beneficial to a wide range of pollinating organisms.
- [Rapid Growing](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/rapid-growing): Rapid growing plants exhibit accelerated growth rates, quickly increasing in size and biomass within a short period.

## Collections

- [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/plants)

## Safety

**Danger:** 1/5 · Very low

Always ask an adult before touching or picking flowers.

## Frequently Asked Questions

### How to identify Annual Valerian?

Start with the whole plant, then compare leaf arrangement, leaf edges, stems and any flowers or fruit. Opposite leaves grow in pairs; alternate leaves come one at a time along the stem. These details tell you far more together than a single green leaf does. Plant Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details.

### How tall is Annual Valerian?

10-60 cm

### How wide does Annual Valerian spread?

10-30 cm

### How big are the flowers on Annual Valerian?

0.3-0.6 cm

### When does Annual Valerian bloom?

Spring to early summer

### Is Annual Valerian edible?

No

### Is Annual Valerian toxic?

None

### What is Annual Valerian's lifecycle?

Annual

## More Plants

- [white snakeroot](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-snakeroot) (*Ageratina altissima*)
- [tree-of-heaven](https://www.snappit.app/explore/tree-of-heaven) (*Ailanthus altissima*)
- [western sword fern](https://www.snappit.app/explore/western-sword-fern) (*Polystichum munitum*)
- [common milkweed](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-milkweed) (*Asclepias syriaca*)

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Source: [Annual Valerian: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/annual-valerian)