Well, I was in china town at the stores full of ginseng and various chinese herbs and medicines.

I asked the lady for some valerian root. She had no idea what I was talking about as she couldnt speak much english.

So my mom wrote down "valerian root" on a peice of paper, she gave it to the other guy working there, and he comes back with a big bag of stems and leaves.

He sells me about an ounce and a half for a couple of bucks. I asked are you sure its valerian root? He sais "Ya, ya".

So anyway, I know that it is not the root because it is stems and leaves. the leaves are thin and dark green. (Its all dry by the way.) It has some flower or bud type looking things which look slightly redish in color.

The stems have some small thorns on them though, I do not see any thorns on valerian pictures on google images.

What do you think it could be?

try erowid, and delete you're other post.

Dried hawthorn
Rose Hips
It is probably hicibus(or however the fuck you spell that shit)

the Asian guy probably just mixed in some shit. Does the valarian...well... smell like valarian?

If so, then its just some additions for drinkability, because the root itself is VILE....

And congrats, on buying something that has no proof, medical, or chemical... in its mode of action, or action at all.....