There are numerous types and cultivars of catmint, and each one has special qualities and applications. Most individuals grow the majority of them in their gardens as well as other pots and containers as soon as the spring season arrives in all its splendor.
These are the six most widely and often produced varieties of catmint flowers, and it’s fascinating to note that all of them, with the exception of one, have nearly identically lovely blue blooms that stand out beautifully against the gray-green leaves.
Siberian Catmint
Siberian catmint (Nepeta sibirica) is an upright plant that may reach a height of approximately 4 feet (8 inches) and is renowned for its delectable cinnamon-like scent, stunning blue-green foliage, and scarlet stems. It extends out to a breadth of almost 24 inches. It is best described as a mounded-growing, thick herbaceous perennial.
The catmint flower begins to bloom in the early spring and continues to do so through the middle of the season. The plant, however, fades back into the earth as soon as winter approaches. It is usually planted as a fragrant decorative, though some people even eat the flowers.
Siberian catmint is mostly known for its spikes of stunning royal blue flowers, which are mildly perfumed and have a hint of lavender in them. These flowers stand out among the plant’s rich green leaves. When they are planted as a group, they grow the most efficiently and successfully. It has tiny, pointy leaves that are as fragrant as the blooms and are a greenish-gray color all the way through the blooming season.
The Siberian catmint’s comparatively fine texture is what distinguishes it from many other garden plants, but its fruit isn’t ornamentally significant, and its foliage is less delicate than that of other catmint kinds.
It thrives best in full sun or light shade, and it can withstand droughts for very long periods of time. To effectively grow and reach its full height, it also needs sporadic upkeep and maintenance. Siberian catmint is extremely alluring to butterflies, bees, and birds but not as much to cats. It is also resistant to deer.
If you want to cultivate Siberian catmint, you should be aware that it is best suited for landscape uses such groundcover, mass planting, container gardening, and general garden use. Although the plant is a wonderful option for gardens, due to its incredible height, it is best planted in outdoor containers and pots. But in the latter scenario, you must remember that they require far more frequent watering than they would if they were grown in a garden or yard.
Japanese Catmint
This variety of catmint is distinct from the other bordering, low catmint species because it has a short stalk. It has an upright mound of glossy, bushy green leaves that create an amazing visual contrast with the violet blue blooms that appear in adorable tiny clusters.
Compared to other types, the Japanese Catmint (Nepeta subsessilis) grows more straight and compactly. It is a native of some particularly wet regions of Japan, and unlike many other catmint species, it has the remarkable characteristic of being able to withstand high moisture levels.
The average height and spread of this plant are 18 to 23 inches and 1 to 1.5 feet, respectively. May is when it starts to blossom, and it does so all the way through September. The flowering plant produces magnificent spikes of gorgeous deep violet blue bell-shaped blooms with maroon dots all over them. Throughout the summer, the blooms form tubular clusters and are distinguished by their relatively big size when compared to the flowers of other catmint kinds.
The optimal growing conditions for this herbaceous perennial plant are full sun or light shade, and it needs a soil type that is regularly moist. When cultivating Japanese catmint, it’s crucial to remember that you should never let the plants go completely dry in between waterings.
This variety of catmint is distinguished by green stems and is recognized for its scented, toothed foliage. Although not as much as the other catmint species and variations, it is also drought tolerant. Japanese catmint is very attractive to bees and other similar insects, as well as to cats to some extent, because of its distinctive aroma and colorful combination of blossoms and foliage. However, too much foliage might leave cats with an empty stomach.
It grows well in pots or other containers, as well as in front of a mixed border or as a low-growing hedge. After the flowering time, they need to be cut back to ensure good blooming and bushy growth, as well as separated into groups to avoid crowded clumps.
Yellow Catmint
The Himalayan Yellow Catmint (Nepeta govaniana) cultivar is most known for being a beautiful, erect plant. It has well-branched, long, slender stems that give off stunning creamy yellow and soft green flowers.
It is a stick-like herbaceous perennial that is well-known for reaching heights of up to over 4 feet. Its nicely curved, somewhat slender bottom lends the plant an air of elegance. This variety of catmint grows best in cool, damp environments that are not excessively soggy or wet, in contrast to other catmint species.
Yellow catmint spreads out to a width of 30 cm and develops to an average height of 120 cm. Its blooms have a clump-forming growth environment and bloom in profusion in the months of July, August, and September. This variety of catmint grows best outside in the yard or garden, as well as in pots and baskets, and like other catmint species, it mostly attracts bees and butterflies.
Because of its highly remarkable tall and erect growing style and the distinctive color of its blossoms, yellow catmint is frequently referred to as a quite different sort of plant. The flowers have loose spikes that they grow on and are delicate yellow in hue with a deeper yellow lip. When paired with light apple green foliage, the yellowness creates a wonderful contrast that looks just stunning outside. The leaf has a strong, distinctive minty perfume that attracts a wide variety of birds and insects.
It is crucial to keep in mind when growing yellow catmint because it does not fare well in extremely cold and hard winter circumstances and likes consistently damp, cool soil that doesn’t dry up.
Greek Catmint
Greek Catmint (Nepeta parnassica), a large, strong, and tall plant that grows to an average height of 6 feet, or nearly 48 inches, is a common sight in European gardens. Its 36-inch width is split over 1-2 bloom sizes.
Greek catmint grows tall, sturdy branches with spikes of stunning, purple-blue flowers that are at their most fragrant in the summer and fall. This catmint type, which is incredibly tall, looks magnificent in the corner of your garden or at the back of a hot border, which is sure to impress anybody who passes by your garden.
This perennial plant likes slightly acidic to slightly alkaline soil types in order to flourish and attains its peak height in full sunlight. Its leaves have a fantastic fragrance and a heart-shaped design with a subdued green-gray tint. The gorgeous, fragrant blossoms frequently come in a range of hues, including lavender, pink, and blue. The flowering season starts around mid-summer and lasts virtually all the way to the beginning of the fall season.
Greek Catmint is one of the species that is so strong, durable, and perfectly tolerant toward heat, drought, and difficult soils because it originated in the highlands of Albania and Greece. When cultivating this plant, it’s crucial to sow the seeds into high-quality soil-based compost and to immediately cover them with compost or fine grit to ensure they have a full and healthy growing season.
Six Hills Giant Catmint
This has to be among the most well-liked catmint types and one of the Nepetas that grows the tallest. This long-blooming perennial plant is highly beautiful, primarily due to its enormous size and the abundance of flowers it produces.
The toughest known Nepeta, Six Hills Giant (Nepeta x faassenii), is a herbaceous perennial that grows stems up to 2-3 feet long, but its arching habit or shape reduces its enormous height to little under 24 inches.
Given that it is a drought-tolerant groundcover, the only summer upkeep this plant actually requires is watering. This plant not only attracts butterflies and hummingbirds but is also very beneficial to pollinators. It favors a dry type of soil that is not particularly productive for growth.
Six Hills Giant, like a few other catmint species, is a phenomenal performer, largely because to its tremendous adaptability. Due to its adaptability, it can be used for a wide range of uses, including in wildlife gardens, cottage gardens, gravel gardens, under planting roses, along paths, spilling along walls, and in front of perennial borders.
The plant prefers soils that are well-drained, dry to medium in consistency, and thrives best in full sun or moderately shaded environments. The gorgeous lavender-violet flowers on this plant have a tiny trumpet-like form. It is particularly renowned for its fragrant greenish-gray leaves, which contrasts beautifully with the vibrant blossoms.
Walkers’ Low Catmint
Native to Turkey, the Caucasus, and northern Iraq, this catmint species. Nepeta racemosa, a perennial herbaceous plant, has an approximate height of 12 inches and a width of 18 inches. It is regarded as an extraordinarily talented plant that is primarily cultivated for decorative purposes. Its distinctive name basically relates to a location in England, and it was initially made popular in Europe in the 1980s.
The Walker’s Low Catmint’s stunning white, blue, and purple flowers are secondary to its fantastic aromatic gray-green foliage, beautiful clumps of upright stems that develop in an ascending fashion, and appealing clumps of upright stems.
The optimal growing conditions for this plant are dry to medium, well-drained soils, and it enjoys full sun to moderate shade. It is frequently thought of as a very aromatic member of the mint family, and as a result, hummingbirds, bees, and butterflies are drawn to it in large numbers.
The plant’s lavender blue flowers appear in profusion in the early summer and keep expanding quickly for the duration of the blooming season. It thrives in arid soil conditions and is renowned for its extraordinary resistance to salt, humidity, and dryness.
There is definitely no denying the catmint blooms’ stunning beauty, and they ought to be a part of every yard and garden. They not only have such an unique and lovely smell, but they also offer such beauty, grace, and magnificence to whatever place they are planted that it will just astound you!
Are there several shades of catmint?
The Nepeta x faassenii variety is the most commonly found. When in bloom, it grows into a silver gray-green mound that is about 2 feet wide and 1 to 2 feet high. Simple forms have loose spikes with delicate lavender-blue blooms. Among the named selections are the 11/2-foot plant “Porcelain,” which has delicate blue petals and blue-gray leaves, and the white-flowered “Snowflake.” Nepeta x faassenii may be offered as “Dropmore,” a 2-foot plant with taller spikes of rich blue flowers, however it is most likely a hybrid. Another possible Nepeta x faassenii hybrid that resembles a bigger version of the original is called “Six Hills Giant” and is 2 to 3 feet high and 3 feet wide.
The open, upright Husky Nepeta grandiflora grows to a height of 2 1/2 to 3 feet and a width of roughly 1 1/2 feet. Violet-blue blooms grow on it. In contrast to ‘Dawn to Dusk,’ which has lilac-pink blooms and purple calyxes, its cultivar ‘Brandean’ displays lavender-blue blossoms that emerge from purple calyxes. After the flowers have done blooming, the calyxes remain on both.
Nepeta siberica, also an upright plant similar in size to Nepeta grandiflora, has beautiful violet-blue blooms that are larger and bloom later in the summer. The plant size and flower color of “Souvenir d’Andr Chadron” (Blue Beauty) are identical to those of Nepeta sibirica, and it flowers for a longer amount of time.
Which catmint plant is the best?
Select Blue Catmint, also known as Nepeta ‘Select Blue,’ is a wonderful xeric perennial with stunning lavender-blue blooms and attractive gray-green leaves. The first flush of flowers on this perennial bloomer appears in late spring, followed by another later in the summer. This perennial has a long lifespan and is simple to grow, making it a great choice for novices.
What catmint has the lowest growth rate?
Little Titch is a small-sized catmint plant, growing only 8 to 10 inches tall and around 15 inches wide. For small garden areas, this clumping plant is preferable to a larger plant like the 6 Hills Giant catmint, which can be quite intimidating. Little Titch has fragrant foliage and an abundance of violet-lavender flowers. It has a moderate growth rate and dense leaves.
Are catmint and nepeta the same thing?
These two plants can be mistaken for one another by using different names, although they are actually distinct species. Catnip is Nepeta cataria, while catmint is Nepeta mussinii, both of which are members of the mint family. The following are some further variations and parallels between the two plants:
While catmint is frequently used as a lovely, flowering perennial in beds, catnip has a weedier aspect.
Catnip blooms less frequently than catmint. Typically, catnip blooms are white. Flowers on catmint are lavender.
Does catmint get pruned back in the fall?
Catmint and I have a love-hate relationship. If you have a LOT of space for it to take over, it’s a terrific plant for providing cold tones to a space. Fortunately, catmint can be severely trimmed at any time of the year.
You can trim these back in the fall to just a few inches above the ground, but your garden will have a hole in it until they grow back flush in the spring.
If catmint is the cornerstone of your perennial border, regular summers pruning should be combined with more restrained trims of around half the plant’s height during the fall.
Can catmint be reduced in amount?
Catmint (Nepeta spp. and cvs., USDA Hardiness Zones 38) has a way of lifting my mood. This plant impresses me because it can stand out in even the most hostile circumstances, whether it’s along a cobbled walk in England or in the median planters that line Chicago boulevards. Over the course of several weeks in the summer, the beautiful lavender-blue blossoms appear to shine just as brilliantly in the garden as they do above a hard expanse of concrete and macadam. The easiest catmint delight for me, however, is seeing my cat Boo fall prey to its seductive charm.
Despite the fact that some varieties have been misused to the point of ubiquity, I have a lasting affection for catmint. And it was because of this affection that I wanted to try as many different kinds as I could in order to determine which ones were the greatest. It’s true that when catmints are mentioned, many gardening buddies scrunch up their faces. Now, while I freely acknowledge that I won’t mind if catmint and Knock Out roses (Rosa ‘Radrazz’, Zones 49) never see another planting, I’m not quite ready to give up on this wonderful collection of hardy perennials. This is particularly true of a few particular varieties that stand out for their durability, seemingly endless blooms, and attractive leaves.
Top performers
In terms of bloom time, general habit, disease resistance, and low maintenance requirements, these types were picked as the best.
The most well-liked plant in this genus is undoubtedly “Walker’s Low” (N. racemosa ‘Walker’s Low’, top photo), based on its popularity and the numerous prizes it has won. Walker’s Low is taller than one might anticipate at 30 inches. The name does not represent its size; rather, it relates to the garden in Ireland where it first appeared. One of the most magnificent floral displays ever is produced by luminous blue blossoms that are carried in upward-curving plumes up to 12 inches long. The attractive gray-green leaves are completely hidden by the flowers for several weeks when they are in full bloom in late April. Walker’s Low pairs beautifully with a range of perennials and is essential for softening sharp edges along patios and paths. In my garden, “Walker’s Low” and Japanese roof iris are a favorite combination (Iris tectorum, Zones 59). I adore the way the delicate, billowy catmint contrasts with the broad, spiky iris leaves, as well as the color echo of the lavender-blue blossoms.
The flower and foliage of “Sweet Dreams” (N. subsessilis ‘Sweet Dreams’) are a welcome change from those of other catmints. From early summer to late fall, charming pink blooms are arranged in generous clusters and tastefully complemented with burgundy bracts. By catmint standards, each trumpet-shaped blossom is 1 inch long, which is quite large. The lush green foliage will surprise you if you assume this is simply another catmint with gray-green leaves, especially when it turns colorful in the fall. Despite being a large plant, “Sweet Dreams” remains compact throughout summer. In contrast to other catmints, Japanese catmints (N. subsessilis and cvs.), such as “Sweet Dreams,” like wet soils and partial shade, though they are equally comfortable in full sun. However, deadheading is necessary to prevent “Sweet Dreams” from having a nightmare appearance after the first flush of blooms since the brown, spent flowers persist.
When great gardeners are honored with magnificent plants, it is lovely. Such a plant is called “Joanna Reed” (N. ‘Joanna Reed’), after the late Pennsylvania gardener who discovered it. One of the neatest catmints I’ve ever produced, and this quality secured a perfect score in our testing. It didn’t require deadheading because of its sturdy stems, which never flopped, and because new growth appeared swiftly to cover the wilting flower stems. I find it impossible to imagine “Joanna Reed” without blooms because of the constant display of huge violet-blue flowers that cover the wide-spreading, compact plants from spring into October. Many catmints boast about the attractiveness and unpalatability of their dusty green foliage.
Greek catmint (N. parnassica), according to a short internet search, is more popular in European gardens, but it’s still worthwhile to look for this rare beauty here. Greek catmint is robust and audacious. However, the stems of our test plants only grew to a maximum height and width of 4 feet. Stems up to 6 feet tall are possible. The tint of the fragrant leaves lies midway between green and gray-green. Beginning in early summer and continuing into early October, long spikes of tiny lavender blooms, each less than half an inch long, are densely populated. Greek catmint has the presence to dominate any garden and will cheerfully take all the sunlight you can throw at it.
I believe the catmint “Six Hills Giant” (N. “Six Hills Giant”) is the standard by which all other catmints should be measured. The word “giant” is used to indicate the massive plant size and the extravagant floral display. Long flower spikes attract attention starting in late spring. However, like many catmints, ‘Six Hills Giant’ may start to relax or even recline a few weeks into the flowering period. This was true in our testing. After the initial flower flush, don’t be afraid to bash it back to promote the growth of new, stronger stems. Although it may be difficult to consider giving up blossoms, there will be many more to come. For the ideal display, place “Six Hills Giant” next to virtually anything pink in the garden.
Select Blue (N. faassenii ‘Select Blue’), chosen for its blue flowers, is a superior addition to the group of long-blooming catmints. From midspring to midfall, I don’t think we experienced a day without flowers. The flowers are actually lavender with a darker calyx that gives them a swarthy appearance, despite claims that they are a darker blue than the straight species (N. faassenii). Late during the season, the low, mounded habit remained solid without shearing. For its tenacity and resistance to drought, the xeriscape specialists at High Country Gardens in New Mexico advise “Select Blue,” and we can vouch for its impressive performance in typical garden settings as well.
Getting down to the nitty-gritty of catmint
Catmints are tough, free-flowering perennials that typically like full sun and well-drained soils for growth. However, some are well-liked for xeriscaping because, once established, they can withstand drought. When lavenders are not hardy, they are often referred to as “poor man’s lavender (Lavandula spp. and cvs., Zones 59), which is an acceptable analogy. Here are some additional details concerning this category of plants that you should be aware of.
Catmints are incredibly floriferous from early spring to the end of the growing season. Their unique tubular, two-lipped blossoms identify them as belonging to the mint family. Even when the flowers have faded, colorful calyces still improve the floral arrangement.
Through slicing off a piece of an established clump with a spade, you can proliferate by spring division. There should be numerous young shoots and a sizable root system in each fresh division. Catmint cuttings will take root quickly if they are cut from healthy shoots before the flower buds appear. The cuttings should take several weeks to root if you place them in a moist medium like sand or a peat-perlite mixture.
An essential oil found in the leaves and stems causes cats to exhibit a range of behavioral reactions. Eating the leaves may have calming effects, while rubbing, licking, or biting them creates a momentary high. According to all accounts, cats are especially intoxicated by catmint, or catnip (N. cataria*). You unfortunately have limited options for preventing cats from mauling (and occasionally squashing) your plants. Although most plants will recover fast following an attack, barriers may be your only alternative.
Although Japanese catmints (N. subsessilis and cvs.) prefer moist soils and don’t mind partial shade, wet or soggy areas can be the death knell for most catmints. Catmints frequently appear on lists of deer-resistant plants because they are rarely troubled by disease or pests.
It’s simple to ignore the leaves when there are so many blooms to catch your attention. Many catmint species are known for their fuzzy, gray-green leaves, although some, like Siberian catmint (N. sibirica), have huge, green leaves instead. Finding it difficult to tell if something is catmint? Another distinguishing characteristic of the mint family is square stems.
High fertility merely promotes floppy behavior. Simply shear the older stems down to the young leaves coming from the crown when stems start to flop over and flower output begins to decline. Plants that have been sheared will recover in a few weeks and resume their natural appearance.
Catmint should only be pruned in the spring or once you are certain that the growing season has ended, as it can be ugly in the winter. Even late in the growing season, cutting it back stimulates it to resprout, and the new growth is cold-sensitive. Any potential winter damage is avoided by waiting until spring.