Tagar is a hairy perennial herb with a long history of traditional health uses. It has an important place in most of the Ayurvedic scriptures. The botanical name of Tagar is Valeriana wallichii, which belongs to Valerianeaceae family. Traditionally, it is known with various names like Nat (bended), Vakr (irregular shape), Kutil, Nahush, Tagarmula, Sugandhbala, Mushakbala, Asarun and in English, it is commonly known as Indian valerian.
The Tagar is leafy, slightly hairy perennial herb, which attains height upto 40-45cm and grows in temperate zones of Himalayas from Kashmir to Bhutan. The leaves are sometimes pinnate and are 2.5-7 cm long. The flowers are unisexual and white or slightly pinkish in color. There are two classical varieties of Tagara mentioned in Nighantus Tagara and Pinda Tagara.
