Peggy Dobbins

THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU.    I have just hit upon your post.  I have a wild garden on a north facing slope at about 8500 feet under aspen.
there are wild geraniums and leaves of wild strawberries and what I think is valerian,  also dandelion and grasses oh and bedstraw.    I have weeded around  the strawberries a and rooted daughter plants from runners.  I water them.  One plant put out flowers that never bloomed.  ie, no strawberries.  Ideas?  Do you suppose they need more sun?   Other sites say need 10 yours of direct sun.   I forgot, service berries volunteer there too.  They have made some berries.  

Valeria   I have two more which are better of the leaves

I am trying to submit images as attachments.  These plants grow wild on north side of slope at about 8500 feet, under aspen and mixed with wild geraniums and leaves of wild strawberries (that never flower).    The pics have not come up in preview so I don't know if I've succeeded.

I found my pictures but I am having a hard time copying and pasting here.  Jiggle me again later and I'll try again.

We have what I believe is valeriana edulis growing in dappled shade of  aspen on a north facing slope at about 8400 feet in southwest colorado, USA.  After several years' search in wildflower books ,
and a visit by the local Agriculture Dept's horticulturalist, I am convinced that the roseates of basal leaves which are VERY abundant, are of the edible valerian.  The latter is described in multiple
places all of which refer to the foul smelling root Indians baked for Freemont that is the base of the sedative valium.  But no where can I find out if the leaves are edible.  They look more
like spinach than anything.  I've tasted bits experimentally.  Seemed almost tasteless, but I've been wary of tasting enough to have a real opinion.  I have found some references that suggest
these basal leaves may be the same as what many refer to as corn salad.  But no where do I find anyone saying the basal leaves, from which grown the stalk and flower of the valerian whose root is edible, are also
edible and called corn salad.

Surely, I, a rank amateur and only occasionally that, am not the first to wonder about this connection.  I signed up for Permie because the only hint I found was here from an Austrian who advised if you are leary of valerian root, try nibbling a leaf.
Now i can't find that agin.