Valeriana sitchensis subsp. scouleri

Family: Valerianaceae · Type: perennial · Native

Sitka valerian is a California native perennial found in northern coastal California, the Klamath Ranges, and northern North Coast Ranges in moist cliffs and streambank habitats at elevations below 1,200 meters. Flowering from April to June, this plant produces white to pale pink flowers in delicate clusters. Growing with slender stems 10 to 60 centimeters tall, it features primarily basal leaves with distinctive ovate to round leaflets. Its leaves typically have delicate, fine-toothed margins and become smaller and more reduced along the stem. The fruit is small, measuring 4 to 6 millimeters long and shaped like a narrow lance.

Habitat: Moist cliffs, streambanks

Bloom period: Apr-Jun

Elevation: < 1200 m

Bioregions: NCo, KR, n NCoRO

California counties: Del Norte, Humboldt, Siskiyou, Mendocino, Mariposa

Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Jepson eFlora, Cal-IPC, and more.