Indian valerian (Valeriana jatamansi)

Valeriana jatamansi, Indian valerian or tagar, is a low woodland plant of the Himalayan mid-hills whose strong-smelling roots have long been used much as European valerian is, for sleep and calm. It grows on shady, moist forest floors between roughly 1,500 and 3,000 metres. Heavy wild collection has reduced it in many places.

Botanical name: Valeriana jatamansi Jones ex Roxb.
Family: Caprifoliaceae
Tamil: Mushkbala
Hindi: Mushkbala
Parts used: Rhizome (historical; wild-dug trade is a conservation problem)
Habit: Mid-hill valerian; jatamansi is a shop word
Last updated: 2026-10-25

How to recognise Indian valerian

It is a low perennial with a rosette of broad, heart-shaped, long-stalked basal leaves, and smaller leaves on the flowering stems.

Flowers are small and white to pale pink, in clustered heads on stems up to about forty centimetres.

The roots and rhizome have a strong, sharp, distinctive valerian smell, which cats are said to like.

Spikenard, Nardostachys jatamansi, grows higher in alpine meadows and has a hairy, fibrous rhizome and pink flowers.

Traditional use of Indian valerian

Ayurveda and Unani

Tagar root is used in formulas for sleep, anxiety and nervous complaints.

Indian materia medica

Modern notes on Indian valerian

The root contains valepotriates and essential oils, related to compounds in European valerian. Small studies suggest calming effects, but good clinical trials are lacking.

Market studies find it is often mixed with or substituted for spikenard, because both are sold as jatamansi.

Indian valerian safety

Valerian-type remedies can cause drowsiness and may interact with sedatives and alcohol. Talk to a doctor before using it, particularly if you take other medicines.

Ecology and sourcing

It grows in temperate forests of the Himalaya from Afghanistan to south-west China.

Collection of the roots for trade kills the plant, and populations near villages have declined.

It can be cultivated from seed and cuttings, and growers in Himachal and Uttarakhand have done so.

Related plants

Questions about Indian valerian

Is Indian valerian spikenard?

No. Spikenard is Nardostachys jatamansi, an alpine plant.

What older names does Valeriana jatamansi go by?

Valeriana wallichii.

Is Indian valerian like European valerian?

It is a close relative and is used in similar ways.

Where does Indian valerian grow in India?

In shady Himalayan forests from Kashmir to Arunachal Pradesh.

Sources

Educational page about a plant. It is not medical advice, not a diagnosis, and not an offer to sell. Traditional use is historical. If you need care, ask a licensed clinician. Questions: hello@meevamed.com.