Growing Catmint Plants in the Garden

Learn a little about growing and caring for catmint plants. Beautiful long blooming perennials that are a must have in the garden.

Catmint or Nepeta is one of my favorite perennials to grow in the garden. Not to be confused with Nepeta cataria commonly known as Catnip which is not as pretty as catmint however cats seem to enjoy both. This particular flowering perennial herb is Nepeta x faassenii 'Walker's Low. Both are members of the mint family.

Catmint plants have fragrant pretty gray-green foliage and beautiful lavender-blue flowers that bloom for a long time.

Nepeta x faassenii 'Walker's Low Characteristics

• Size: 30 inches tall by 36 inches wide
• Hardy to USDA Zones 4-9
• Light Requirements - Full sun to partial shade
• Water Needs - Average - Water during periods of extreme heat.
• Soil - Average well-draining soil
• Bloom time - Late spring, summer, and into early fall
• Synonymous with Nepeta racemosa
• Few pest problems but can have trouble with powdery mildew

Special Characteristics

• Won the Perennial Plant Associations 'Plant of the Year' in 2007
• Deer resistant and rabbit resistant
• Heat and drought tolerant once established however would benefit from some afternoon shade
• Attracts bees, butterflies, hummingbirds and other pollinators
• Works well in flower arrangements

How to Propagate Catmint

You can make more plants for the garden through clump divisions or rooting stems in water. Personally, I like to use the clump division method in the late summer or early fall for this plant. Just cut back the foliage. Then dig up the plant. Then, using a sharp shovel or spade cut it into 2 or 3 sections and plant them in a sunny spot. Be sure to give the divisions a good drink of water and continue to water at least once a week until the cold weather sets in.

Nepeta × faassenii also known as Faassen’s catmint, is a reliable somewhat tall upright flowering perennial in my garden. Bees love it, as well as butterflies and other pollinators and I like using it in summer flower arrangements.

Above is a close-up image of the plant. Look at the beautiful grey-green leaves and pretty purple flowers.

Other Catmint Varieties

• Six Hills Giant - One of the tallest, reaching up to 3 feet tall.
• Cat's Pajamas - Dwarf compact variety that only gets about 14 inches tall
• Cat's Meow - Another shorter tidy clumping variety that gets about 1 -2 feet tall.
• Snowflake or White Wonder - White flowering varieties

In mid-late summer cutting back or shearing the stems on the outer perimeter will promote new growth to grow in the center.  Thus giving you more of this beauty to enjoy for the rest of the season.