This choice shares an improved neat habit with “Cat’s Meow,” although being a little bit smaller and more compact in size overall. ‘Purrsian Blue’ develops a compact, flawlessly spherical, thickly branching clump of tiny, green leaves in its first year. The plant keeps its small mounding habit in year two, but nearly doubles its spread to just over two feet.
This is a particularly floriferous variety whose bloom power is enhanced by the close proximity of its blossoms on the stems. From early summer to early fall, periwinkle blue flowers are protected by dark purple calyxes that grow just above the fragrant foliage.
The modern gardener’s dream perennial, “Purrisan Blue,” is drought tolerant, deer resistant, long blooming, and attractive all year round.
Nepeta is commonly known as Catmint because when its stems are broken, an aroma that tends to draw cats is released into the air.
invasive Nepeta catmint?
They believed it would entice cats to prey on rodents hiding about the farm or house. However, current research suggests that catmint may not just be discovered around the foundations of historic European homes and barns. According to a recent USDA study, termites are unlikely to dig tunnels through soil where catmint flourishes. Naturally, a moat made of this plant would prevent these pests from penetrating the wood of a hut or cottage.
Termites, mosquitoes, and cockroaches are all repelled by the same chemical that draws cats. Nepeta cataria, also referred to as common catnip, is a plant that contains it. Nepetalactone, a terpene found in these herbs, has been shown to be several times more effective at repelling insects than harmful DEET. To influence a cat, the plants release oils that must be breathed rather than consumed. This explains why cats are so prone to rolling around in catmint plants. More volatile oils are released from the leaves when it is bruised. Cats can detect airborne odors down to one part per billion.
Not all felines react the same way to these herbs. In fact, roughly 30% of household cats might not even respond to catmint. It’s a hereditary reaction that can vary in intensity from person to person and is inherited. Strangely, until they are at least 3 months old, extremely young kittens rarely react to nepetalactone.
There are a dizzying variety of plants in the genus Nepeta. The large invasive plant known as real catmint is described above. It grows to a height of three feet and bears few white blooms. It usually only appears in herb gardens and has very nothing to recommend it in terms of aesthetics. Due to its hardiness up to Zone 3, it is a fantastic choice for gardens in the north.
Through natural cross-pollination and human breeding, numerous species have been introduced into gardens over time and transformed into new varieties. The outcome is a wide variety of garden-worthy catmints that are much better prospects for your yard than the usual kind. Keep in mind that these immigrants won’t be as resistant to the cold as the species is. The majority, but not all, are sterile, preventing plants from spreading outward in the absence of viable seed. Simply deadhead the flowers after they are spent to stop seed formation in order to completely avoid self sowing.
The Six Hills Giant, which stands 3 feet tall, is the most impressive version. Late in the summer, foot-long spikes of dark violet blooms appear on lush, spherical plants. It is generally accessible and a superb option for novice growers.
Nepeta racemosa “Walker’s Low,” which has a shorter size, is an excellent edging plant. A gentle carpet of blue fills up the front of a border. It only grows to a height of 18 inches but produces dense clusters of vividly blue flower spikes. Walkers Low and Six Hills are resilient to Zone 5.
Catmints typically grow best in sandy, well-drained soils, although they will grow almost anywhere that isn’t moist. Late in the growing season, they can become rangy, and regular trimming is beneficial to prevent the taller forms from flopping in the rain.
Today, catmint merits another look as a natural pest deterrent for eco-friendly dwellings. wherever there is a chance of infestation, plant. Kittie won’t overdose, though, as cats all seem to have a sense of proportion.
Spreadability of Purrsian blue catmint
- Long-blooming perennial with low maintenance requirements that also tolerates dryness and is resistant to deer and rabbits. Small, compact, and heavily branching in size. spreads out almost twice as much the following year. When stems are broken, a scent that attracts cats is released. draws bees and hummingbirds.
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Although Purrsian Blue catmint has been designed to be neat and non-invasive, it does produce a full spread of blooms. This catmint type will grow to be around two feet across in its second year, but the flowers won’t be taller than eighteen inches. Common catmint, also known as wild catmint, is invasive, while Purrsian Blue keeps tidy and its plants are sterile, which means they do not reseed as quickly as their wild counterparts.
Being a perennial, Purrsian Blue catmint will reappear every year. Catmint is unusual for its drought tolerance and capacity to survive in poor soil, in addition to being winter-hardy and prepared to reappear each spring. Additionally resistant to deer and animal grazing is Purrsian Blue catmint. Because it thrives in containers and does not experience mild air pollution, Purrsian Blue catmint is a great choice for apartment gardeners as well.
The Purrsian Blue catmint is ideal for naturalizing because it requires just moderate maintenance. The plants can withstand heat and humidity, and they thrive in well-draining, sparsely nourished soil. Just relax after planting and let the catmint spread out! For the first year, until it is established, water your Purrsian Blue. If your catmint is mature, you might want to water it during dry times but let the soil dry out in between. Catmint known as Purrsian Blue doesn’t require fertilization.
However, deadheading your catmint will promote reblooming, so remove fading blooms once they have finished blooming. Reduce the size of your plants by roughly 50% in the fall. You may clip the plants back a fair distance without shearing them all the way to the ground.
Common or wild catmint is an invasive plant.
It can spread like a weed and reproduce easily. However, the majority of hybrid catmint strains, like our Purrsian Blue, are infertile. It may therefore scatter seeds, but they won’t germinate into new plants.
In addition, Purrsian Blue outperforms wild catmint in a number of other areas. This cultivar has dense periwinkle blossoms that cover the entire plant, as opposed to the sparse, white flowers of other varieties. Purrsian Blue has all the benefits of a wild cat, including a robust character, a scent that attracts bees and other pollinators as well as cats! with more flowers and no worries about invasion.
Sun is necessary for Purrsian Blue catmint. However, this particular perennial can tolerate some shade. Plant your catmint where it will get some sun, preferably six to eight hours every day, for the greatest benefits.
Does catmint genuinely appeal to cats? What’s the distinction between catnip and catmint? Although the two plants are sometimes confused, they are completely unrelated. Nepetalactone, a substance found in catnip plants, gives cats an ecstatic experience. Cats like the smell of catmint, plain and simple. They enjoy sniffing the flowers and rolling about in the leaves. Catmint, unlike the majority of catnip species, also produces tall, lovely blooms that are likely to attract bees and butterflies.
A perennial, is Nepeta Purrsian Blue?
The ideal cultivar for people looking for a neater, more compact catmint is Nepeta ‘Purrsian Blue’. ‘Purrsian Blue’ was chosen in part due to its appealing plant habit and high level of floriferousness. This cultivar, developed by Walters Gardens Inc., has a lot of potential.
‘Purrsian Blue’ has scented, silver-green foliage that matures into lovely, naturally rounded clumps that are 18 to 30 inches across and 14 to 18 inches high. Late April is when it starts to bloom, and it keeps flowering all summer long until the first October frosts. An abundance of periwinkle blue blooms with dark purple calyxes are produced by this floriferous variety.
In Zones 3 to 8, nepeta are frequently employed in sunny landscapes with ordinary to slightly dry soils. They should be planted in afternoon shade in the deep South because they are only moderately resistant of the heat and humidity there.
The low-maintenance, simple-to-grow perennial ‘Purrsian Blue’ is ideal for today’s landscapes. While its spiciness repels rabbits and deer, hummingbirds, honeybees, butterflies, and other pollinators are lured to its sweet nectar.
Propogation
It is not permitted to propagate Nepeta ‘Purrsian Blue’ without a license. Instead, approved propagators must vegetatively spread the plant using tip cuttings.
Licensed propagators root tip cuttings by placing them straight into a growing medium that has been stabilized or pre-moistened and well-drained. Catmint propagates successfully without the need for rooting agents and rapidly takes root. For the first two to three days of proliferation, place the cuttings under a mild misting routine. Reduce the daily mist delivery after the first few days to maintain light misting for the following few days. It is ideal to grow them in environments with low misting and high humidity (90 percent relative humidity).
Beginning seven days after adhering the cuttings, it’s ideal to start feeding with 100- to 150-ppm nitrogen using a complete water-soluble fertilizer twice a week. Once a sufficient number of roots are present and the cuttings can remain turgid all day, the mist can typically be completely removed 12 to 16 days after sticking. They typically take three to four weeks to become well-rooted when soil temperatures are kept between 68 and 74o F.
Production
Purrsian Blue can be produced successfully in one-gallon or smaller containers. They prefer to be cultivated in a growing medium with a pH range of 6.0 to 6.6 and good drainage. Numerous growth mixtures will work, but stay away from those with a high water-holding capacity. When transplanting, place a single liner in the middle of the pot, making sure that the liner’s soil line is level with the growing media of the container it is being placed in.
Light to moderate fertility requirements apply to catmint. Apply 100- to 125-ppm nitrogen plus micronutrients with each irrigation or 250 ppm as necessary when using water-soluble fertilizers to supply nutrients. They may elongate, take on a lush appearance, and delay flowering if fertilized excessively. When added to the growth medium prior to planting at a rate equating to 0.9 to 1.1 pounds of elemental nitrogen per cubic yard of growing mix or when applied as a top-dress onto the media surface at the medium labeled rate, controlled-release fertilizers can also efficiently distribute nutrients.
Nepeta can be grown with standard irrigation techniques. During production, the plants should be kept moist but not constantly damp or saturated. When kept overly wet, they will become taller and more susceptible to the infections that cause root rot. When irrigation is required, fully water the plants and then wait a short while before watering again.
‘Purrsian Blue’s’ compact growth habit means that height management techniques are typically not needed. When plants are adequately spaced apart, grown in high light conditions, and given the right amount of nutrients and moisture, undesirable stem elongation may frequently be controlled.
Spray applications of 30-ppm paclobutrazol (Bonzi, Paczol, or Piccolo), 5-ppm uniconazole (Concise, or Sumagic), or a tank mixture of 2,500-ppm daminozide (B-Nine, or Dazide), plus 3-ppm uniconazole, should be used if the plants need to be toned. One or two applications should usually be sufficient.
Pests and Diseases
Nepeta can be grown largely pest- and disease-free. Aphids, leafhoppers, slugs, snails, spider mites, and whiteflies occasionally arrive but only slightly harm crops. When they are grown in persistently damp growing conditions, crown and root rots may form. Other ailments to watch out for are Southern Blight, Powdery Mildew, Botrytis, and Bacterial Leaf Spot (Pseudomonas) (Sclerotium).
Regular scouting will enable early detection of these pests and illnesses and may be helpful in determining whether and when control measures are required.
Temperatue and Scheduling
It is simple to grow “Purrsian Blue” plants that bloom all year round. Although they don’t need to be vernalized in order to flower, giving them a cold treatment will help them flower more evenly and a little bit quicker. When vernalizing nepeta liners or containers, give them six to nine weeks of cold weather (less than 40 F). They are long-day plants, and in order for the flowers to thrive, the days must be lengthy. When the length of the day is naturally short (less than 14 hours), extended days can be created using artificial lights (night interruption or day extension). They take around eight weeks to reach flowering stage when grown at 65 degrees Fahrenheit.
Nepeta spreads, right?
The majority of species can survive in a variety of soil conditions, including rocky and sandy soils. Just make sure the soil has a pH range of 5.0 to 7.5 and is well-draining.
Choose a spot that receives direct sunlight and incorporate approximately an inch of compost there. Plants do tend to be bushier in more fertile soil, yet it is not a must.
It’s important to note that some Nepeta species have a propensity for aggressive spread. Planting on raised beds or containers will help you avoid this.
When planting, water thoroughly. For the first season, supply about an inch of water each week. If it hasn’t rained for a few weeks, established plants are drought resilient and will only occasionally need water.
A effective technique to preserve soil moisture and enhance drainage is to add a few inches of mulch around the base of plants each season, such as shredded bark, leaves, or straw.