All About Growing Catmint – Plant Trial Results

Drought tolerance and never-ending blooms aren’t the only reasons to love this perennial

There ’s something aboutcatmint(Nepetaspp . and cvs . , USDA Hardiness Zones 3–8 ) that buoys my spirits . Whether it ’s along a cobbled path inEnglandor in the median planter that festoonChicagoboulevards , this plant amazes me for its ability to abide out in the most inhospitable environments . The bright lavender - blue bloom , over many weeks in summertime , seem to glow just as brightly in the garden as they do above a harsh expanse of concrete and macadam . The simplest Nepeta cataria treat for me , though , is watching my Caterpillar Boo arrive under its alluring spell .

Learn more : Catmints for the Northwest

My abiding fondness for catmint is unwavering despite the fact that some types have been overused to the point of ubiquity . And it was this love that made me want to trial as many types as potential to regain out which 1 were the in force . It ’s true that many horticulture champion scrunch up their face when catmints are mentioned . Now , while I admit that I ’ll be fine never date another planting of Nepeta cataria and ping Out ® roses ( Rosa‘Radrazz ’ , Zones 4–9 ) , I ’m not ready to turn my back on this exceptional radical of workhorse perennial . This is especially genuine when it comes to a few quality kinds that put up out for their dependability , seemingly never - end heyday , and fetch foliage .

Top performers

These varieties were prefer as the good in terms of bloom prison term , overall wont , disease resistance , and low sustainment .

found on popularity and the many awards it has garnered,‘Walker ’s Low’(N.racemosa‘Walker ’s Low ’ , top photo ) is in spades the darling of this genus . At 30 inches tall , ‘ Walker ’s Low ’ is larger than might be carry — the name refer to the garden in Ireland where it uprise and does not reflect its sizing . Luminous blue flowers are stand in upwardly - curving plume that can hit 12 in long , create one of the most impressive floral displays ever . At peak bloom in late spring , the flowers fully obnubilate the handsome gray - green leave of absence for several weeks . ‘ Walker ’s Low ’ is indispensable for softening hard edges along walk and patios , and it conflate wonderfully with a variety of perennial . A best-loved combination in my garden is ‘ Walker ’s Low ’ and Japanese cap iris ( Iris tectorum , Zones 5–9 ) . I sleep with the colour echo of the lavender - blue efflorescence and how nicely the wide , spiky iris leaves juxtapose the indulgent , billowy catmint .

‘ Sweet Dreams’(N.subsessilis‘Sweet Dreams ’ ) is a pleasant departure from other catmint in flower and leaf . magic pinkish blossoms , attractively paired with burgundy bracts , are packed into chubby clusters from early summer to go down . Each trumpet - form flower is 1 inch long , which is jolly big by catmint banner . If you ’re thinking this is just another greyish - fleeceable – leave catmint , then the luxuriant green leafage will storm you , specially when it colors up in drop . ‘ Sweet Dreams ’ is a goodly plant but stays compendious all summer . Nipponese catmints ( N.subsessilisand cvs . ) , like ‘ Sweet ambition ’ , stand apart from other Nepeta cataria for their affinity for moist soils and fond shade , although they are also completely at home in full sun . On the downside , the spent brown flowers hold on , so deadheading after the first bloom flush is all important to keep ‘ Sweet Dreams ’ from expect nightmarish .

It ’s wonderful when great gardeners are immortalize with great plants . ‘Joanna Reed’(N.‘Joanna Reed ’ ) , named for the late Pennsylvania nurseryman who discovered it , is just such a plant . It is one of the tidiest catmints I ’ve ever grown , an property that clinch a top military rank in our trial . Its hard halt never flopped , and new growth raise quick to hide the declining flower stem , carry off the need for deadheading . succinct , widely - spread industrial plant are covered with a uninterrupted display of expectant purplish - blue flowers from spring into fall , so much so that I ca n’t depict ‘ Joanna Reed ’ without flowers . The dusty green leaves are attractive and unpalatable to deer — a bragging power point deal by many catmints .

A straightaway on-line search confirms thatGreek catmint(N.parnassica ) is better get it on in European garden , but this uncommon stunner is worth search for here . Grecian catnip is freehanded and sheer . Stems up to 6 understructure marvellous are potential , although the stems of our trial plants only accomplish 4 foot marvellous and wide-eyed . The aromatic leaves land somewhere between green and gray - green in the colour spectrum . Small lavender flowers , less than a one-half inch long , are generously packed into long capitulum from other summer into early fall . Hellenic catmint for certain has the stature to drop anchor any garden , where it happily soaks up all the Dominicus you’re able to give it .

I think‘Six Hills Giant’(N.‘Six Hills Giant ’ ) is the archetypal catmint and one by which all other catmints should be pronounce . The inclusion body of “ giant ” fittingly identify the robust plant size of it and the bodacious heyday show . Long flower spikes command attention from late bounce onward . In our trial , ‘ Six Hills Giant ’ was reliably solid stemmed , but like many catmints , it may begin to relax or even repose several weeks into the inflorescence point . Do n’t be timid about whacking it back after this first flower flush , which encourages new , strong prow . I know it ’s hard to think about sacrificing blooms , but there will be many more to come . cast ‘ Six Hills Giant ’ next to almost anything pink in the garden for the consummate show .

Chosen for its blue flowers,‘Select Blue’(N.×faassenii‘Select Blue ’ ) is a ranking improver to the leaning of long - bloom catmints . I do n’t cerebrate we saw a twenty-four hour period without flower from midspring to midfall . Although touted as saturnine drear than the straight species ( N.×faassenii ) , the flowers are , in fact , lilac-colored with a sinister calyx that add a dusky complexion . The down in the mouth , mound habit remain compact belatedly into the season without shearing . The xeriscape experts at High Country Gardens in New Mexico recommend ‘ Select Blue ’ for its toughness and drought margin , and we can take the stand to its strong performance under intermediate garden conditions , as well .

Getting down to the nitty-gritty of catmint

Catmints are rugged , loose - bloom perennial that as a rule prefer to grow in full Sunday and well - run out dirt . Some , however , are drouth tolerant once establish , which makes them popular for xeriscaping . They are sometimes called “ poor man ’s lavender”(Lavandulaspp . and cvs . , Zones 5–9 ) , an graspable allusion as they are indeed great alternatives where lavenders are not brave . Here are a few other things you should know about this group of plants .

▶ It ’s not just the efflorescence that provide color

The floriferous nature of catmints , from other leap into autumn , is amazing . The classifiable two - lipped , cannular flowers mark them as part of the mint mob . coloured calyx raise the floral display even after the flowers have passed .

▶ There are two ways to pass around

you’re able to circularize by spring partitioning using a spade to slice off a section of an established clump . Each new division should have several young shoot and a substantial ascendant system . Cuttings of Nepeta cataria will root readily if take from healthy shoots before efflorescence buds form . Stick the cutting in a moist medium , such as sand or a peat - perlite mix , and you could expect them to be rooted in several hebdomad .

▶ There ’s a cause it ’s the cat ’s meow

The leaf and staunch hold in an essential fossil oil that trigger a variety of behavioral responses in cats . Rubbing , licking , or biting the leaf produces a short - live high , while eat the leaf may act as a sedative . By all accounts , catnip ( N. cataria*)—a type of Nepeta cataria — is particularly intoxicating to cats . Unfortunately , there is not much you may do to deter cats from maul ( and sometimes squelch ) your plant . Barriers may be your only option , although most plants will recover quickly from an violation .

▶ look out out for too much urine

Wet or soggy sites can be the kiss of destruction for most catmints , although Japanese catmint ( N. subsessilisand cvs . ) have a penchant for moist land and do n’t mind partial shade , either . Disease and pests rarely trouble catmints , which always make the list of deer - resistant plants .

▶ Do n’t forget the leafage

With so many bloom to draw the optic , it ’s well-situated to overlook the leaves . The key signature look for many catmints is fuzzy white-haired - unripe leaves , but a few metal money such as Siberian catnip ( N. sibirica ) have orotund green leaves rather . Having fuss identifying whether something is a catnip ? wait for straight stem — another revealing attribute of the mint family .

▶ Do blank out about feed

‘Sweet Dreams’

High birthrate only encourage floppiness . When stems become floppy and blossom product wane , but cut back the older stems by half or shear right down to the Modern leaves emerging from the crownwork . Sheared plant will find within a few workweek and look like they were never cut back .

▶ Spring pruning is best

Even though it can be unsightly in winter , prune catmint in spring or once you know the growing time of year is in truth over . cut it back even late in the season encourage it to resprout , and that new outgrowth is susceptible to cold . Waiting until spring eliminates any potential wintertime wrong .

‘Sweet Dreams’

New kids on the block

The accompany Nepeta cataria are young to the test , but their hopeful start has me activated to watch how they rise over the next few age .

1.I’ve been thrilled by‘Blue Dragon’(N.‘Blue Dragon ) since first seeing its bright risque - purple blossom in 2010 . From tardy natural spring to midfall , a bounty of large flowers ( 1¼ inches long ) draws butterflies and bees aplenty . The stunning floral display look more like a sage ( Salviaspp . and cvs , Zones 5–11 ) than a Nepeta cataria . And its racy sizing , 3 foot magniloquent and 5 feet wide , means it wo n’t be overlooked when not in bloom , which , by the way , is almost never . ‘ dismal Dragon ’ circularise to a generous clump over time but has not been a thug so far . To be on the good side , it ’s probably not the upright choice for small gardens . We ’ve lost a few works over two winter , but keep in mind that it ’s listed cold unfearing only to Zone 6 .

2.The inscrutable lavender - blue flowers of‘Early Bird’(N.‘Early Bird ’ ) make their first coming into court workweek before most other catnip . In 2012 , following an specially modest wintertime in the Midwest , the flower pop in other April , although I suspect normal efflorescence time will be typically afterwards in the calendar month . Much of the floral exhibit comes from the colourful calyces because there is only a smattering of undefendable flowers at any time . ‘ Early Bird ’ was in blossom for nearly seven months last class , and , all the while , the plants preserve their respectable habits . The low , spreading habit ( 15 inches tall and 60 inches blanket ) makes ‘ Early Bird ’ an special terra firma cover . We grew ‘ Early Bird ’ next to ‘ Meow ’ , which always made me think of Tweety Bird and Sylvester the Cat .

‘Joanna Reed’

3.With just one season under its belt,‘Lemon Pledge ’ catnip(N. cataria * ‘ Lemon Pledge ’ ) is too new for a full pestle of approval , but it ’s had an auspicious start . rent ’s begin with the obvious : The lemon - infused fragrance of the soft gray-headed - greenish leaves is like something decent out of a can . Every meter I walk by the flora , I could n’t resist rubbing the leaves to release the scrumptious lemony scent . The lavender - blue flowers were not plentiful the first yr , but the low , mounded riding habit was attractive all summertime . Ultimately , ‘ Lemon Pledge ’ is expected to be 12 to 16 inch tall and 16 inches broad . Despite its unique fragrance , this is still a substantial - deal catnip , so do n’t be surprised when it pull neighborhood feline .

4.It has always surprise me that there are n’t more cat - themedNepetacultivar epithet — I particularly like ‘ Cool Cat ’ and ‘ Kit Cat’—well , actually I like Kit Kat candy bar , but I straggle . So when‘Meow’(N.‘Meow ’ ) made its debut , I was happy its witty name was confiscate to a fantastic works . ‘ Meow ’ tout plentiful flowers in large clusters from spring into fall . The tripping purple flowers disappearance to white , and this two - step mix of pale color creates a delicate flowered display . The crest of the plant begin to open midspring , which is fairly early compared with other catmints . The broad - spreading plant life ( 26 inch tall and 50 inches wide ) remain full and attractive for the rest of the season .

5.Little Trudy ® (N.‘Psfike ’ ) comes on strong with an abundance of passably lavender flowers from midspring into midfall . The low , stocky riding habit ( 12 inches marvellous and 30 in wide ) was slightly large than advertised , but plenteous moisture let the plants to raise taller in our trial than would be the case on dryer land site . The sage immature leaves are attractive all time of year , but the habit can look a bit ragged in midsummer . I recommend cutting back the stem midseason to rejuvenate the plants for a great late - season floral show .

Greek catmint

Richard Hawke is the plant - evaluation manager at the Chicago Botanic Garden in Glencoe , Illinois .

Photos : Danielle Sherry ; Doreen Wynja for Monrovia ; Doreen Wynja ; courtesy of Richard Hawke ; Bill Johnson ; Jerry Pavia ; Friedrich Strauss / gapphotos.com ; Graham Strong / gapphotos.com ; courtesy of greatgardenplants.com ; and courtesy of Intrinsic Perennial Gardens , Inc.

source

‘Six Hills Giant’

The next mail - rules of order works seller volunteer many of the Nepeta cataria featured .

Annie ’s Annuals & Perennials , Richmond , Calif. ; 888 - 266 - 4370 ; anniesannuals.com

Busse Gardens , Big Lake , Minn. ; 800 - 544 - 3192 ; bussegardens.com

‘Select Blue’

Forestfarm , Williams , Ore. ; 541 - 846 - 7269 ; forestfarm.com

High Country Gardens , Santa Fe , N.Mex . ; 800 - 925 - 9387 ; highcountrygardens.com

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