Centranthus ruber (Caprifoliaceae family), commonly called red valerian or Jupiter’s beard, is a well-branched, bushy, clump-forming, woody-based perennial. It is valued for its ability to produce, often in poor soils, a showy bloom of star-shaped crimson, pink or white flowers from spring to frost. Flowers (each to 1/2") are fragrant and appear in dense terminal clusters (cymes) atop upright to relaxed stems rising above the foliage to 1.5-3' tall. The leaves are gray-green, fleshy, sessile, oval to lanceolate (to 4" long). It is native to the Mediterranean region.
