Nepeta cataria: Country Or Region Of Origin
Europe and Asia
Plant Profile: Nepeta cataria
Taxonomy: Nepeta catariaNames
Catmint, Catnip, Catswort
Phonetic Spelling:NEP-eh-tuh kat-AR-ee-uh
Genus:Nepeta
Species:cataria
Family:Lamiaceae
This enduring herb is versatile and particularly favored by felines. It tends to struggle with the intense heat and humidity found in the Deep South, thriving better with some afternoon shade. To encourage ongoing flowering, trim the flower spikes after the first bloom. It can become invasive, so it's advisable to cultivate it in containers.
For additional details on Nepeta, please refer to the provided resources.
Nepeta cataria Feature Summary
Tags
#full sun tolerant
#edible plant
#perennial
#weedy
#aromatic
#herb garden
#pollinator plant
#partial shade tolerant
#problem for cats
Similar Plants
Nepeta cataria Feature Summary
Attributes
Europe and Asia
Naturalized throughout
Cats love it. The nectar of the flowers attracts long-tongued bees primarily, including honeybees, bumblebees, cuckoo bees (Epeolus spp., Triepeolus spp.), long-horned bees (Melissodes spp.), and leaf-cutting bees (Megachile spp.). Other visitors that occasionally visit the flowers include Halictid bees, wasps, flies, butterflies, and skippers. The foliage is one of the food sources for the caterpillars of such moths as Sphinx eremitus (Hermit Sphinx) and the polyphagous Xanthotype urticaria (False Crocus Geometer)
Leaves for herbal teas. As a culinary herb, fresh leaves (minty flavor) may be chopped and added to soups, stews, sauces, vegetables, or pasta.
Perennial
Seed
Division
Flowers
The upper stems terminate in dense whorls of flowers on spike-like racemes about 1-6" long. The flowers are small, two-lipped, white with pale purple spotting tubular flowers.
Purple/Lavender
White
Raceme
Spike
Fragrant
Edible
Spring
Summer
Tubular
< 1 inch
Leaves
Aromatic, coarsely-toothed, triangular to ovate, grey-green leaves (to 3" long). Leaves are downy which gives it a grey-green appearance.
Deciduous
Green
Gray/Silver
Simple
Opposite
Ovate
Cordate
Crenate
3-6 inches
Soft
Edible
Fragrant
1-3 inches
Poisonous to Humans
Many cats love catnip, but it can cause vomiting and diarrhea. It makes some cats sedated and others stimulated.
Nepetalactone
Whole Plant Traits
Herb
Deciduous
Erect
Spreading
Clumping
Rapid
High
Medium
Cultural Conditions
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
Good Drainage
12 inches-3 feet
Coastal
Mountains
Piedmont
4a
4b
5b
5a
6a
6b
7a
7b
8b
8a
3a
3b
9a
9b
Clay
Loam (Silt)
Sand
Stem
Landscape
Problem for Cats
Weedy
Nepeta cataria Image Gallery
Nepeta cataria Attributes
Nepeta cataria: Distribution
Naturalized throughout
Nepeta cataria: Wildlife Value
Cats love it. The nectar of the flowers attracts long-tongued bees primarily, including honeybees, bumblebees, cuckoo bees (Epeolus spp., Triepeolus spp.), long-horned bees (Melissodes spp.), and leaf-cutting bees (Megachile spp.). Other visitors that occasionally visit the flowers include Halictid bees, wasps, flies, butterflies, and skippers. The foliage is one of the food sources for the caterpillars of such moths as Sphinx eremitus (Hermit Sphinx) and the polyphagous Xanthotype urticaria (False Crocus Geometer)
Nepeta cataria: Edibility
Leaves for herbal teas. As a culinary herb, fresh leaves (minty flavor) may be chopped and added to soups, stews, sauces, vegetables, or pasta.
Nepeta cataria: Life Cycle
Annual
Biennial
Bulb
Perennial
Woody
Nepeta cataria: Recommended Propagation Strategy
Division
Grafting
Layering
Leaf Cutting
Root Cutting
Seed
Stem Cutting
Nepeta cataria Flowers
Nepeta cataria: Flower Description
The upper stems terminate in dense whorls of flowers on spike-like racemes about 1-6" long. The flowers are small, two-lipped, white with pale purple spotting tubular flowers.
Nepeta cataria: Flower Color
Purple/Lavender
White
Nepeta cataria: Flower Inflorescence
Catkin
Corymb
Cyme
Head
Insignificant
Panicle
Raceme
Solitary
Spadix
Spike
Umbel
Nepeta cataria: Flower Value To Gardener
Edible
Fragrant
Good Cut
Good Dried
Long Bloom Season
Long-lasting
Showy
Nepeta cataria: Flower Bloom Time
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Nepeta cataria: Flower Shape
Bell
Cross
Crown
Cup
Dome
Funnel
Irregular
Lipped
Radial
Saucer
Star
Trumpet
Tubular
Urn
Wheel
Nepeta cataria: Flower Size
1-3 inches
3-6 inches
< 1 inch
> 6 inches
Nepeta cataria Leaves
Nepeta cataria: Leaf Description
Aromatic, coarsely-toothed, triangular to ovate, grey-green leaves (to 3" long). Leaves are downy which gives it a grey-green appearance.
Nepeta cataria: Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics
Broadleaf Evergreen
Deciduous
Needled Evergreen
Semi-evergreen
Nepeta cataria: Leaf Color
Gray/Silver
Green
Nepeta cataria: Leaf Type
Compound (Pinnately , Bipinnately, Palmately)
Fronds
Needles
Sheath
Simple
Nepeta cataria: Leaf Arrangement
Alternate
Opposite
Other/more complex
Rosulate
Whorled
Nepeta cataria: Leaf Shape
Acicular
Auriculate
Cordate
Cuneate
Deltoid
Elliptical
Filiform
Lanceolate
Linear
Oblanceolate
Oblong
Obovate
Obtuse
Orbicular
Ovate
Palmasect
Palmatifid
Peltate
Pinnatifid
Pinnatisect
Reniform
Rhomboidal
Spatulate
Subcordate
Subulate
Nepeta cataria: Leaf Margin
Crenate
Crenulate
Dentate
Denticulate
Doubly Crenate
Doubly Dentate
Doubly Serrate
Entire
Lobed
Serrate
Sinuate
Undulate
Nepeta cataria: Hairs Present
No
Yes
Nepeta cataria: Leaf Length
< 1 inch
1-3 inches
3-6 inches
> 6 inches
Nepeta cataria: Leaf Feel
Fleshy
Glossy
Leathery
Papery
Prickly
Rough
Rubbery
Slippery
Smooth
Soft
Velvety
Waxy
Nepeta cataria: Leaf Value To Gardener
Edible
Fragrant
Good Cut
Good Dried
Long-lasting
Showy
Nepeta cataria: Leaf Width
< 1 inch
1-3 inches
3-6 inches
> 6 inches
Nepeta cataria Poisonous to Humans
Nepeta cataria: Poison Symptoms
Many cats love catnip, but it can cause vomiting and diarrhea. It makes some cats sedated and others stimulated.
Nepeta cataria: Poison Toxic Principle
Nepetalactone
Nepeta cataria: Poison Severity
High
Low
Medium
Nepeta cataria: Causes Contact Dermatitis
No
Yes
Nepeta cataria Whole Plant Traits
Nepeta cataria: Plant Type
Annual
Bulb
Carnivorous
Edible
Epiphyte
Fern
Ground Cover
Herb
Herbaceous Perennial
Houseplant
Mushroom
Native Plant
Ornamental Grasses and Sedges
Perennial
Poisonous
Rose
Shrub
Succulent
Tree
Turfgrass
Vegetable
Vine
Water Plant
Weed
Wildflower
Nepeta cataria: Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics
Broadleaf Evergreen
Deciduous
Needled Evergreen
Semi-evergreen
Nepeta cataria: Habit/Form
Arching
Ascending
Broad
Cascading
Climbing
Clumping
Columnar
Conical
Creeping
Dense
Erect
Horizontal
Irregular
Mounding
Multi-stemmed
Multi-trunked
Open
Oval
Prostrate
Pyramidal
Rounded
Spreading
Vase
Weeping
Nepeta cataria: Growth Rate
Slow
Medium
Rapid
Nepeta cataria: Maintenance
Low
Medium
High
Nepeta cataria: Texture
Fine
Medium
Coarse
Nepeta cataria Cultural Conditions
Nepeta cataria: Light
Dappled Sunlight (Shade through upper canopy all day)
Deep shade (Less than 2 hours to no direct sunlight)
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
Nepeta cataria: Soil Drainage
Frequent Standing Water
Good Drainage
Moist
Occasional Flooding
Occasionally Dry
Occasionally Wet
Very Dry
Nepeta cataria: Available Space To Plant
12 inches-3 feet
12-24 feet
24-60 feet
3 feet-6 feet
6-feet-12 feet
Less than 12 inches
more than 60 feet
Nepeta cataria: NC Region
Coastal
Mountains
Piedmont
Nepeta cataria: USDA Plant Hardiness Zone
3a
3b
4a
4b
5a
5b
6a
6b
7a
7b
8a
8b
9a
9b
Nepeta cataria: Soil Texture
Clay
High Organic Matter
Loam (Silt)
Sand
Shallow Rocky
Nepeta cataria Stem
Nepeta cataria: Stem Is Aromatic
No
Yes
Nepeta cataria: Stem Cross Section
Angular
Oval
Round
Square
Nepeta cataria Landscape
Nepeta cataria: Problems
Allelopathic
Contact Dermatitis
Frequent Disease Problems
Frequent Insect Problems
Invasive Species
Malodorous
Messy
Poisonous to Humans
Problem for Cats
Problem for Children
Problem for Dogs
Problem for Horses
Short-lived
Spines/Thorns
Weak Wood
Weedy
