Valerian is a perennial flower that is native to parts of Europe and Asia, although it is now also grown in the United States. The scientific name of this beneficial plant is Valeriana officialis and although there are over 250 varieties of this plant, many of the side effects and medical applications are the same throughout. The plant was used as a fragrance as much as 500 years ago, but its medicinal benefits have also been well known for centuries. In fact, some people call valerian as a “heal all”, and the essential oil that is extracted from this miracle plant has dozens of different applications.