“ Nepeta x faasenii is a smaller hybrid that grows to a maximum of around 50cm x 50cm,” says RHS MHort Colin Skelly, “making it ideal for growing in pots where it will require a minimum of maintenance.” Sowing & PlantingĬatmint can be sown in March or April, and planted out in May or June. In small spaces, catmint can also be grown in pots. It can also work well as edging around a productive annual garden bed, along a pathway, or as edging for a patio or paved area.Īlternatively, it can also be integrated into perennial beds or borders alongside other flowering perennial plants. Where To GrowĬatmint can be grown in a range of different settings in a garden – it can work well within a sunny herb garden, alongside other herbs which like sunny and relatively free-draining conditions. ‘Six Hills Giant’Ĭatmints are usually pretty tolerant of dry conditions, but cannot tolerate permanently wet soils – in such conditions, rot can set in.Īll catmints will struggle in deep shade. nuda do better on soil which is a bit moister. Most Nepeta species will thrive in dry and free-draining soil, though N. subsessilus will cope with light or dappled shade. nepetella)Ĭatmint mostly prefers a site in full sun, though some species, like N. x faassenii (A hybrid of garden origin between N. There are several different species within the Nepeta genus to consider growing in your garden. The young leaves can be eaten raw in salads or as a garnish and they have a mint-like flavour. cataria also has a range of uses for us, beyond the garden. This means that it can be a great companion plant for a range of common crops and other garden plants.Ĭatmint is also commonly said to repel a range of insect pests, such as aphids and flea beetles, for example – and research shows it may help in holistic and organic pest control (at least to a degree). It also attracts a wide range of beneficial wildlife, including butterflies, bees and other pollinators, and beneficial predatory insects which help keep pest populations down. They are easy to grow and very low maintenance.Ĭatmint can be used to attract cats to specific parts of your garden to keep them out of vegetable plots and other areas. If you want a perennial plant which will flower well over a long season (late spring to late summer), which makes a great informal edging or border plant, and which is great for wildlife in your garden, catmint can be an excellent choice. This is said to be the most aromatic catmint, but more ornamentally appealing species and hybrids are available for gardeners. While the term catmint is applied broadly to a number of species within this genus, it can also be used to refer more specifically to Nepeta cataria, which is also referred to as ‘Catnip’. These plants are usually herbaceous perennials, with tubular flowers often in lavender-blue hues. Nepeta catariaĪ chemical called nepetalactone in these Nepeta species affects the olfactory receptors of cats and makes them temporarily euphoric. The common name catmint is given to these species because of the effect they have on domestic cats. North Carolina Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox. 1 Nepeta cataria (Catmint, Catnip, Catswort). Catmint is the name given to a number of plants within the Nepeta genus, in the Lamiaceae family.
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