Valerian
Herbal infusion
4.0/5 · FindMeTea score
About this tea
Valerian (Valeriana officinalis) is a caffeine-free herbal infusion made from the dried root of a flowering perennial native to Europe and parts of Asia. It is not a true tea: there are no Camellia sinensis leaves in the cup and no caffeine at any steeping time. Its aroma is famously pungent and earthy — often compared to old socks or a damp basement — and its taste is woody and bittersweet, very much an acquired one. What gets harvested is the root rather than the leaf or the flower, and it carries valerenic acid along with a small amount of volatile oil. Valerian has been part of European household and apothecary tradition for centuries, and it is usually blended with lemon balm, hops or chamomile, which soften its strong character into a cup most people find easier to drink.
How to brew: 95°C, 5 min, 2 g per cup.
Caffeine
None
How to brew
Flavor notes
earthy, woody, robust, slightly bitter
Often associated with
Calm, Relaxation
Best time to enjoy
Evening
Tags
Where to find it in United States
Where to find it in United StatesNear Columbus
- North Market SpicesOther Herbal infusion
Columbus · North Market, downtown
Spearmint, Crushed Leaves
from US$ 3.85· 1 oz
In storeOnline59 Spruce Street, Columbus, OH 43215See the shop → - Posh Teatime Co.Other Herbal infusion
Columbus · Franklinton, West Broad Street
Farmer's Market Fruit Blend
from US$ 16.95· 4 oz
In storeOnline1273 W Broad Street, Columbus, OH 43222See the shop → - Sencha Tea BarOther Herbal infusion
Minneapolis · Uptown (also Madison, WI)
Rose Hips
from US$ 3.99· 2 oz
In storeOnline2601 Hennepin Ave S, Minneapolis, MN 55408See the shop → - Old City CoffeeOther Herbal infusion
Philadelphia · Old City · Reading Terminal Market
Hibiscus
US$ 11· 4 oz
In storeOnline221 Church St, Philadelphia, PA 19106See the shop → - The Random Tea RoomOther Herbal infusion
Philadelphia · Northern Liberties
Chamomile
US$ 18· 6 oz
In storeOnline713 N 4th St, Philadelphia, PA 19123See the shop →
Origin & Production
Valerian grows wild in damp meadows, riverbanks, and woodland edges across Europe and western Asia, with tall stems and clusters of pale pink or white flowers. The prized part is the rhizome and root system, which develops its characteristic pungent aroma only after the root is harvested and dried. Today it is cultivated commercially in countries such as Germany, Belgium, the Netherlands, eastern Europe, and parts of Asia, where cooler temperate climates suit the plant. Roots are usually lifted in autumn of the second year, when the concentration of active compounds is traditionally considered to be at its peak. Sustainable cultivation has largely replaced wild harvesting for the herbal-tea market.
Production process
Root harvesting
The rhizomes and roots are dug up in autumn, traditionally in the second year of growth, when valerenic acid and related compounds are believed to be most concentrated.
Cleaning & trimming
Soil is washed away and the roots are trimmed of fine hairs and damaged sections. The fresh root has only a faint smell — the famous pungency develops during drying.
Slow drying
Roots are dried at low temperatures, traditionally below around 40°C, to preserve the volatile oils. As they dry, the roots take on their distinctive earthy, socky aroma.
Cutting & grading
Dried roots are cut into small pieces or coarsely powdered and sorted by aroma strength and color. Higher grades retain more of the pale, intact root with a strong, clean scent.
Blending & packaging
Many producers blend valerian with softer herbs like lemon balm, hops, or chamomile to temper its strong aroma, then pack it in sealed, light-protected containers as loose root or tea bags.
- Free
- Sundays
- 2 min
Drink better tea, one Sunday at a time.
A fact for the table·A shop worth the trip·A better cup·Ritual & kit of the week·Tea fun facts
History & Tradition
Valerian has been used as a calming herb since antiquity, appearing in Greek and Roman medical writing and remaining a fixture of European herbal tradition through the Middle Ages and into the modern era.
Early physicians
Greek and Roman physicians such as Hippocrates and Galen described valerian root in their writings on plants, which is the earliest documented record of the herb in European practice.
Monastery gardens
Valerian was grown in European monastery and physic gardens, and it appears in the medieval herbals among the plants those gardens kept on hand. Dried root and its preparations became a fixture of the apothecary shelf.
The name 'valerian'
Renaissance herbals documented the plant in detail, and the name valerian — traditionally linked to the Latin valere, 'to be strong or well' — became firmly established in European pharmacy.
Wartime folklore
Valerian is often mentioned in accounts of both World Wars as a herb European households reached for during the air raids. That story belongs to the plant's folklore as much as to its pharmacy record.
Pharmacopoeia entry
Valerian root was listed in numerous European and North American pharmacopoeias, and dried root and tinctures became standard apothecary stock on both sides of the Atlantic.
Modern wellness
Valerian became one of the most widely sold evening herbs in the world, available as loose root, tea bags, capsules and blends. The European Medicines Agency published its monograph on the root in 2016.
What's in the cup
Caffeine-free by nature
Valerian is an infusion of root, not of Camellia sinensis leaves, so there is no caffeine in the cup — none at any steeping time or strength. That is why it turns up at the end of the day rather than at breakfast.
What the root carries
It is the root that gets harvested, not the leaf or the flower. Dried valerian root carries valerenic acid and a small amount of volatile oil, and in the cup all of that reads as a pungent, earthy aroma and a woody, bittersweet edge. The infusion itself stays a pale brown.
A fixture of the European apothecary
Long before it reached supermarket shelves, valerian grew in the monastery and physic gardens of Europe and sat on apothecary shelves as dried root and tincture. It is still drunk at the end of the day, and still more often blended than alone.
What the regulator actually says
The European Medicines Agency lists valerian root as a herbal medicinal product, and its 2016 monograph separates two categories. An ethanolic dry extract sits under well-established use; the traditional preparations — the ones closest to a cup of tea — sit under traditional use, where the agency states there is insufficient evidence from clinical trials and the basis is documented long-standing use.
Source: European Medicines Agency (2016)
Before you pour a cup
The US National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health states that valerian should not be taken along with alcohol or sedatives, and that little is known about whether it is safe to use during pregnancy or while breastfeeding. It lists headache, stomach upset, mental dullness, excitability, uneasiness and vivid dreams among reported side effects.
This isn't medical advice. If you have a specific condition, or you are pregnant or taking medication, check with a healthcare provider.
- Free
- Sundays
- 2 min
Drink better tea, one Sunday at a time.
A fact for the table·A shop worth the trip·A better cup·Ritual & kit of the week·Brew better
Grades & Varieties
Whole cut root
Pale, woody pieces of dried valerian root with the strongest, most pungent aroma. This traditional form produces a robust, earthy bedtime infusion and is favored by those who want valerian's full character.
Best for
- ✓Strong single-herb bedtime tea
- ✓Traditional preparation
- ✓Experienced valerian drinkers
Valerian sleep blend
Valerian root combined with softer herbs such as lemon balm, hops, or chamomile. The blend tempers valerian's intense aroma into a gentler, more approachable cup — which is how most people meet the herb for the first time.
Best for
- ✓Everyday evening wind-down
- ✓Newcomers to valerian
- ✓Milder flavor preference
Tea bags
Finely cut valerian root portioned into tea bags for convenient, consistent brewing. Slightly milder in aroma than loose whole root, it is the most common everyday format for a quick bedtime cup.
Best for
- ✓Quick nightly ritual
- ✓Travel-friendly format
- ✓Measured, consistent cups
Did you know?
Valerian root barely smells when fresh — its famous pungent, sock-like aroma only develops as the root dries, and cats are often as drawn to it as they are to catnip.
Foods with this tea
What to Eat with Valerian Tea
Valerian's pungent, earthy, woody character calls for cozy, low-key evening foods—warm honeyed toast, mild cheeses, and gentle bedtime snacks that won't fight its strong aroma.
Valerian and Mushroom Bedtime Broth
A warm, earthy mushroom broth gently infused with a touch of valerian root—a savory cup-bowl that leans into the herb's woodsy character.
Valerian and Honey Bedtime Oat Pudding
A warm, creamy baked oat pudding gently scented with a hint of valerian and sweetened with honey—a cozy, low-key bedtime dessert that softens the herb's earthy edge.
- Free
- Sundays
- 2 min
Drink better tea, one Sunday at a time.
A fact for the table·A shop worth the trip·A better cup·Ritual & kit of the week·Tea recipes & drinks
Drinks with this tea
Valerian, Lemon Balm and Chamomile Bedtime Infusion
Valerian root steeped four to five minutes with lemon balm and chamomile, finished with honey and a squeeze of lemon—earthy, floral and caffeine-free.
Cold-Brewed Valerian with Apple, Lemon Balm and Mint
A smooth cold-brewed valerian blend with apple, lemon balm, and a hint of honey—an iced evening cooler that mellows the root's pungency into something refreshing.
Valerian Bedtime Mocktail (Alcohol-Free Nightcap)
An alcohol-free mocktail of valerian and chamomile with warm spiced apple juice, cinnamon, clove and honey—served warm in a mug or shaken over ice.