- ‘Walker’s Low’ plants are 30 inches tall and 36 inches wide, with lavender-blue flowers. As a side note, the name is not short because it derives from an Irish garden. It is actually almost as tall as the “Six Hills Giant.” Walker’s Low was chosen by the Perennial Plant Association as their Perennial of the Year for 2007.
Don’t restrict yourself to just these four options if you feel driven to hunt for catmint in your neighborhood garden centers. Numerous other top-notch cultivars are also readily available, including “Dropmore,” “Blue Wonder,” and “Junior Walker,” a scaled-down variety of “Walker’s Low” that stands 16 inches tall.
- Catmint tends to grow wider than tall, so give it lots of room.
- Even while catmint likes direct sunlight, it can also tolerate moderate afternoon shadow.
- Water new plants or transplants until they can survive on their own. Following that, established plants can withstand heat and drought.
- Never fertilize it again. Catmint prefers well-drained, somewhat fertile soil. In fact, a plant may flip over or split in half if the soil is excessively rich. In that case, trim the plant back to make it look neat. Compost added in the spring or fall will provide the plant the nutrients it needs to thrive.
- After the first blooming flush of the plants has finished, shear them back by a third or more. The plants will be more orderly, their size will be limited, and this will encourage a second rush of blossoms later in the summer. The plant will still bloom often and maintain its lovely appearance during the stifling summer months even without being sheared.
- Over the winter, keep any dead foliage in place to help protect the crown. Wait till the beginning of spring to trim it.
- Divide catmint every three to four years, preferably in the spring or early fall, to maintain it healthy. During the first growing season, until the plants take root, keep it well-watered.
- Catmint varieties can grow to be quite huge. Pinch the plant back in the spring after it has grown a few inches tall to encourage a bushier growth habit if you wish to limit the plant’s total size.
- Cut a vertical chunk off of an established clump of catmint in the spring to reproduce it. Make sure the division has a strong root system and a number of new shoots. Till the plant takes root, keep it well-watered.
- Cuttings can also be used to spread catmint. Before flower buds grow in the spring, clip healthy shoots at a length of three inches. The cuttings should be placed in a moist medium, such as sand or a peat-perlite mixture. Within two to three weeks, they should start to root.
- Catmint is typically unaffected by either pests or illnesses. The only issue that can occasionally arise is leaf spot. There is no consensus that the severity of this fungus illness justifies control measures.
- Experience has taught me that some cats are drawn to catmint. If you’re worried about this, cover newly planted or transplanted catmint with chicken wire to stop your cat from consuming it or rolling about in it.
- This plant attracts butterflies and bees like crazy. Additionally, hummingbirds adore it.
- You’ll adore this plant if your garden is plagued by four-legged animals other than cats. Deer, voles, and rabbits are deterred by the foliage’s minty aroma. THIS is a plant that pays for itself, at last!
Spreads catmint quickly?
Plants that grow quickly called catmints. They start out in the spring by growing neat tiny piles of tidy new leaves. This spreads widely swiftly when plants start to form their flower buds. Walker’s Low is one of the cultivars that is grown the most frequently. But despite its name, this plant is in no way low-growing. These plants grow rapidly to their full size, which is around 3 feet tall by 3 feet broad. Many of the catmints grow leggy and flop open once their impressive flowering display is over. If this is the case, giving the plants a good cutback will quickly fix the problem. If you’re lucky, this will stimulate a second set of blossoms in addition to a wonderful new flush of growth.
Catmints’ hardiness and tolerance of poor soil conditions are two of their best qualities. Look no farther if you’ve previously struggled with growing anything in dense, dry clay. Catmint can take it and continue to flourish. But it’s crucial to remember that some plants do enjoy some sunshine. Although they can tolerate some shade, they are considerably more likely to flop open. It’s also crucial to keep in mind that many catmint species have a tendency to spread like weeds in gardens. If this worries you, opt for sterile types like “Walker’s Low” that won’t spread and create any further issues. Also recognized for withstanding hard winters is catmint.
Catnip can grow in the shade.
The mint family (Lamiaceae), which includes the robust and weedy perennial herb catnip, is hardy in zones 3-9. Nepeta cataria is one of numerous species that are referred to collectively as catmints, and it has been widely naturalized throughout temperate regions of the world. Most cats are drawn to the aromatic leaves of this plant, which are typically found in disturbed areas like roadside or field edges, along streams, or on waste ground, but many people are not fond of their pungent odor, which has been variously described as a combination of thyme and oregano to “mildly pungent.
Catnip has a rangy habit and upright, branching branches with green to gray-green foliage. It shares with other members of the mint family the distinctive square stems and opposing leaves with 1-inch petioles. Fine hairs are seen on the petioles and stems of the light green plants. The up to 3 inch long triangular to ovate leaves have crenate margins, which are rough teeth, and are cordate at the base. Fine hairs cover both the upper and bottom surfaces, and the upper side clearly reveals a reticulated network of veins. In the winter, plants wither to the ground, and in the early spring, new stems appear. Under ideal circumstances, plants can reach heights and widths of up to 3 feet, and they can also establish colonies from their short rhizomes.
Anytime from late spring through fall, plants can flower, and they will bloom for one to two months. On spike-like terminal racemes, the tiny blooms (about 1/3 inch long) are carried in tightly clustered whorls. The characteristic of the mint family, individual bilabiate (two-lipped) flowers are white with light purple or pink spots on the lower lip. The lower lip has three lobes, including a bigger middle lobe with a frilly outer edge, compared to the little upper lip’s two lobes. Numerous various sorts of butterflies, wasps, flies, and bees of all kinds visit the nectar-rich blooms. After the initial flowering, shearing encourages subsequent blooming.
Seed capsules that each contain four smooth, ovoid nutlets stand in for the flowers. Goldfinches and other seed-eating birds might visit the plants if they aren’t deadheaded. Although this plant easily reproduces and can be an annoyance in some places, it is not typically regarded as an invasive species in Wisconsin. After flowering, cut the plants all the way down to prevent them from reseeding.
Catnip is typically planted for house cats because it is not very well known for its ornamental features. It is also occasionally produced to attract butterflies. Nepeta x faassenii or Nepeta racemosa, which have showier flowers and better behavior (though less alluring leaves for cats), make much better ornamentals, but N. cateria could be combined with other perennials in the border in the same way that the other catmints can “included in a herb garden, or a cat-friendly yard. Containers may also be used to grow it. Regular pruning will make the plant more compact and less weedy looking.
Although catnip does well in poor soils and some shade, it grows best in full sun and medium, well-drained soil. The amount of soil fertility and moisture have a big impact on plant size. Once it has grown, this plant can withstand droughts to some extent. If cultivated as an ornamental, pinching will aid in the development of a more dense, well-shaped plant as the plants shoot up in the spring. Deer do not favor it, although stray cats may cause damage to it (mainly breaking the stems when rolling on the plant). Others advise keeping the plant in a hanging basket to keep it out of reach, while someone advised covering it with an elegant bird cage to keep cats away. It is easily multiplied by division of mature plants or seed that is introduced indoors a few weeks before the final frost. University of Wisconsin-Madison student Susan Mahr
Nepeta can it grow in partial shade?
- Nepeta x faassenii (Faassen’s catmint): This hybrid, with sterile flowers that don’t self-sow and don’t require deadheading, is by far the most widely cultivated variety employed for ornamental purposes.
- Nepeta subsessilis (Japanese catmint) is a wonderful choice for colder, wetter areas because, in contrast to other types, it prefers moist soil and some shade.
- Nepeta racemosa, also referred to as dwarf catmint: This species grows slowly and creates circular mounds that are as wide as the plants themselves. It is frequently used as a vibrant groundcover and grows between 12 and 18 inches tall.
Is catmint the same as catnip?
Compared to catmint, catnip (Nepeta cataria) has a stronger scent. It lacks ornamental qualities and has a propensity to grow weedy and invasively. It is primarily useful in the garden for cooking or as an insect repellent for particular pests including mosquitoes, aphids, and squash bugs.
Are catmint plants contagious?
This perennial flower that thrives in cool climates often features blue trumpet-shaped flower clusters and grey-green leaves with a distinctive mint scent. Even though it’s frequently called catnip, cats don’t find it to be as alluring as the real stuff. However, I’ve seen that if given the chance, our cat will indulge herself. Although the plant can reach a height of 3 feet, it frequently sprawls, creating a grey-green ground cover. In the late spring and early summer, it blooms profusely. In hot temperatures in the middle of the summer, it frequently temporarily stops flowering before starting up again in the early fall, especially if the plant is vigorously trimmed down. Catmint blooms are beloved by butterflies, hummingbirds, and other useful insects.
In our location, catmint is resilient, though certain types may require winter protection in colder climates. Despite the fact that it may be grown from seed, it is considerably simpler to buy plants from a nearby nursery or get divisions from a friend’s garden in the early spring when it first begins to grow. From early spring through early fall, sow. It is simple to divide catmint. Catmint should be planted in full or partial sun in humus-rich, compost-added soil that is well-drained. Plant where it will receive afternoon shade if you’re growing in one of our region’s warmer areas. In the garden, space plants 1 to 2 feet apart.
Water newly planted plants well. They may be resistant of drought once they have grown. To help keep weeds at bay and the soil continuously moist, mulch with bark and spread compost around the base of plants in the spring.
If you aggressively deadhead flowers and prune the plant back by two-thirds after each flush of blooms, you may keep catmint in practically constant bloom from late spring until fall. After a few years, springtime division of the plant will encourage renewed development and result in the production of more plants for friends and other plantings. Catmint doesn’t self-sow because it has few pests and sterile seeds.
The traditional cottage garden plant catmint frequently grows with peonies, roses, coreopsis, and delphiniums. It’s a fantastic filler plant to add color and green foliage between later blooming flowers because of its spreading tendency. It thrives when planted in rock gardens next to walls so that it can cascade over them. It can look a little rangy, so it’s not the best option for more formal settings.
With blue-violet flowers and a neater appearance than other types since it doesn’t spread as much, Walker’s Low is a more recent variation.
White Wonder and “Snowflake” are rare white blooming plants that only reach a height of one foot.
The enormous plant and bright blue flowers of Six Hills Giant are well recognized.
Dark blue flowers on 1 to 2 foot tall stems are produced by Blue Wonder.