Nepeta

Nepeta

Catmint

• Position: full sun
• soil: well-drained-soil
• Flowering period: June to September
•  Foliage: deciduous
• Hardiness: fully hardy

Nepeta, commonly known as catmint, is quite easy to grow with spikes of lavender-blue flowers from June to September. This perennial has an informal, bushy growth habit and aromatic, grey-green foliage. It needs full sun and well-drained soil.

Nepeta is also great for attracting wildlife into the garden. Bees, butterflies and moths love it.

Varieties

Nepeta ‘Six Hill Giant’

With a height of 90cm Nepeta ‘Six Hill Giant’ will add height to a herbaceous border. This vigorous, bushy perennial bears pale blue, tubular flowers on tall spikes in mid-summer.

Nepeta racemosa ‘Walker’s Low’ is similar to ‘Six Hill Giant’ but with a height and spread of 70cm x 50cm.

Nepeta x faassenii

Nepeta x faassenii has lovely lavender-blue flowers and sage-green leaves. Grows to about 45cm tall. So it doesn’t take up too much space.

Nepeta ‘Pink Cat’

Pink-flowering Nepeta ‘Pink Cat’ and blue-flowering Nepeta ‘Kit Cat’ are both excellent, compact, edging plants for paths. They are also great ground cover plants.

Pruning

When should you prune Nepeta (Catmint). Cut back the old foliage to the ground in spring to make room for new growth.

Cut back by half after flowering in July to encourage a second flush of flowers and to keep the plant compact.

Plant spacing

Space low-growing Catmints 20-30cm apart.

Space tall-growing varieties 40-50cm apart.

Plant combination

What can you plant with catmint. Nepeta (catmint) looks lovely when grown with  Astrantia, Gaura, Salvia x jamensis, Stachys.

Salvia ‘Pink Lips’