Fauna
Flower

Red Valerian

Centranthus ruber

Also known as Spur Valerian, Jupiter's Beard, Kiss-Me-Quick, Devil's Beard

Red valerian thrives in dry crevices, coastal cliffs, and old stone masonry across temperate regions. Its dense clusters of tiny, sweet-scented crimson or rose pink flowers bloom continuously from late spring through early autumn, providing an abundant nectar source for bees, butterflies, and day-flying moths. Capable of self-seeding vigorously in minimal soil, this hardy perennial has naturalized far beyond its native Mediterranean roots.

PerennialDrought TolerantAttracts Pollinators
Red Valerian reference1 / 7
(c) Marie-Lan Nguyen, some rights reserved (CC BY) · cc-by
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Least ConcernConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXLeast ConcernRed List categories, explained →
Key facts
Diet & preyPhotosynthetic
Predators
  • Slugs
  • Snails
  • Aphids
ThreatsMinimal; highly resilient and locally invasive outside its native range
HabitatsOld stone walls, rocky slopes, coastal cliffs, roadsides, urban waste ground
Life spanPerennial (5–10 years)
Classification
  1. OrderDipsacales
  2. FamilyCaprifoliaceae
  3. GenusCentranthus
  4. SpeciesCentranthus ruber
Range & activity
Range data is not available yet.
Safe observation
Interaction riskLow
  1. Low
  2. Moderate
  3. High
  4. Very high
Why interaction risk is low
Safe to observe at a normal distance.
Responsible observation
  • Pollinator Watching: Look for long-tongued pollinators such as hummingbird hawk-moths visiting the deep tubular flowers.
  • Garden Care: Deadhead fading blooms before seed heads develop to restrict self-seeding around home gardens.
Related species
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