Red Valerian, known botanically as *Centranthus*, is a total superstar in the garden. It’s a fan favorite not just because it’s incredibly low-maintenance, but also because it’s so easy to propagate. In fact, if the conditions are right, this plant usually takes care of the “family planning” all on its own!
Self-Seeding: The Natural Way
If your Red Valerian is happy in its spot, it’ll naturally spread without any help from you. Once the blooming season wraps up, the plant develops seed heads. As soon as those tiny seeds are fully ripe, they drop right next to the mother plant and get to work. Before you know it, you’ll see little baby *Centranthus* popping up nearby.
If you’re not looking for a garden takeover, don’t worry—you can easily prevent this “wild” spreading. Just deadhead the flowers as soon as they start to fade. No seeds, no surprise seedlings!
Taking Control: How to Propagate Centranthus
If you want to be a bit more intentional about where your plants grow, you’ve got a few great options. You can propagate Red Valerian by:
- Controlled sowing (planting seeds yourself)
- Division
- Cuttings
Propagating via Controlled Sowing
If you want to decide exactly where your next patch of Red Valerian goes, you can skip the self-seeding and plant them yourself. You can either harvest the ripe seeds from your existing plants or pick up a packet at your local garden center.
The best part? There isn’t really a “wrong” time to sow them. Since Red Valerian is hardy, you can technically plant the seeds year-round. However, I’d recommend avoiding the dead of winter just to keep the frost from messing with your success rate.
Just sow the seeds directly into the soil where you want them to grow and cover them with a light dusting of earth. Keep the soil consistently moist, and you should see those first little sprouts peeking through in just a few weeks.
Propagating via Division
Another tried-and-true method is dividing your existing plants. Start by digging up the entire plant and shaking off the excess dirt from the roots. Then, use a sharp spade or a garden knife to split the root ball into as many sections as you’d like.
Pop each new section into its own hole, fill it back in with some nutrient-rich soil, and keep it well-watered for the first few weeks. This helps the roots get established in their new home.
Propagating via Cuttings
Technically, you can also grow Red Valerian from cuttings. It works, but honestly? Sowing seeds or dividing the roots is usually much faster and easier. If you’re looking for the path of least resistance, stick with those!
