What is this plant?

Saw this plant growing in NYC in May in a public garden. Not sure if it is an annual or perrenial. Can anyone tell me what it is?

 

Believe it is Centranthus ruber. Hope this helps.

 

I agree that it is Centranthus ruber/Valerian. I have this one in my garden and it is a perennial here in Ontario, Can. This blooms from beginning of June right up until frost. It is also used as an herbal remedy as an aid for people who have trouble sleeping. Apparently it is also a self-seeder, but I haven't had that happen in my garden. I have the plant for about 10 yrs. I do have clay soil here though which may attribute to this.

 

Thank you. I loved the blue grey foliage, but was not familiar with the plant. Glad to hear it is a perennial. I will have to seek it out for my garden.

 

Valeriana officinalis, V. jatamansi and V. mexicana are all used for insomnia (and other conditions). I do not think that Centranthus ruber has any activity or is used. The confusion arises because they share the same common name "Valerian".

To quote from A Modern Herbal by Mrs M Grieve (1931) re Centranthus "...must not be confounded with the true medicinal Valerian.....it is destitute of the properties of the official Valerian". She does go on to say, however, that the leaves are "exceeedingly good in salad,or cooked as a vegetable, and in France there is a sale for the roots for soup"

Ciao
BrianO

 

Jacobson, WILD PLANTS OF GREATER SEATTLE says the leaves of Centranthus ruber are "mildly bitter but edible withal."

 

Thanks everyone. I think I will just stick to looking at in my garden as soon as I locate a plant.

Ann

 

desmaraisdesign. Thought you might like to see this pic taken today in an English garden, of Centranthus ruber coccineus.

 

Wow, that looks awesome. If only I had a wall like that. Maybe in the future.

 

Great picture. Thanks for sending along. I actually have a number of granite retaining walls built from the foundation of an old house that was originally on our property so your picture gives me food for thought. The display that inspired me at the gardens in NYC was spectacular as well. I have a tendency to plant three or four plants of one variety to get constant blooming, but these mass plantings are inspiring. There are not many perennials that will rebloom all season.

Looks like the flowers in this picture are more red rather than magenta/pink and the foliage less blue green in color.

 

You are quite right about the colour of the leaves and flowers. It comes with white, pink or red flowers. The leaves on this red form were not as blue as the leaves of the pink ones in your photo. I had difficulty getting a good pic of the leaves, the flower heads were so large. The mass planting of the one colour really did look spectacular, especially infront of that wall.