Catmint
Nepeta
Catmint blooms from May through September.
Everything this page states about the plant was checked against named botanical sources, the bloom months and the water need among them, with what the sources could not settle written down.
Growing Catmint
Plant it in full sun. It prefers low water. It is hardy in USDA zones 3–8. Expect it to reach about 1.6 ft tall and 2.3 ft wide at maturity, in roughly 2 years.
When to plant Catmint
Plant Catmint in early spring as soon as the soil is workable, or in early fall at least six weeks before your first frost, so roots establish in cool weather. For the middle of its hardy zones 3 to 8 range, spring means April to June and fall means August or September. Once settled, it blooms from May to September.
Month-by-month timing for your zone is on the planting calendar: for the middle of its range, start with zone 5 in April.
Comes in 10 varieties across 3 colors
Same plant, same care - pick the color you are growing.
Good to know about Catmint
Curated from university extensions, botanic gardens and other primary sources, with the source named on every note.
Safety
The ASPCA lists the close relative catnip as toxic to cats: eating a lot can cause mild vomiting or diarrhea. The ornamental catmint is regarded as safe. per ASPCA and NC State
Worth knowing
One aromatic oil, nepetalactone, does three jobs at once: it repels deer and rabbits, draws cats to roll and nibble, and, with the nectar, feeds pollinators. per NC State and iScience
Cold-hardiness varies by source
Sources split at the cold end: some list catmint hardy to zone 3, others only to zone 4 or 5. In cold gardens, choose the hardiest named cultivars. per Wisconsin and NC State
Drought tolerance is relative
Most extension sources call it drought tolerant once established, but Missouri Botanical Garden finds this hybrid thirstier than other Nepetas. Give it occasional summer water, not desert treatment. per Missouri Botanical Garden and NC State
Shear after the first flush
After the first bloom flush fades, shear the whole plant back by one-third to one-half. This tidies the floppy mound and triggers a strong rebloom into fall. per Wisconsin and NC State
Sterile, will not self-seed
This ornamental hybrid is largely sterile, so unlike true catnip it does not self-seed or turn weedy. Increase it by spring division or softwood cuttings, not seed. per NC State and Wisconsin
Wants lean, sharp-drained soil
Undemanding but insistent on drainage. It thrives in lean, dry, even rocky ground at any pH, and needs no rich soil, as long as the site drains well. per Wisconsin and NC State
What pairs well with Catmint
Good companions share its growing conditions and add something it lacks: an earlier or later bloom, a lower carpet in front, or structure through winter.
Goldenrod
Shares full sun and low water; overlaps, then carries the display into mid fall; both are strong pollinator plants; its seed heads stand through winter, for structure and the birds.
Globe Thistle
Shares full sun and low water; both are strong pollinator plants; its seed heads stand through winter, for structure and the birds; taller at 3.3 ft, for the layer behind it.
Blazing Star
Shares full sun and low water; both are strong pollinator plants; its seed heads stand through winter, for structure and the birds; purple sits close to blue on the wheel.
Grape Hyacinth
Shares full sun and low water; blooms in early spring, before this one opens; both offer pollinator forage, in different months; lower at 8 in, for the front of the border.
Lavender
Shares full sun and low water; both are strong pollinator plants; evergreen, so the bed keeps its shape through winter; purple sits close to blue on the wheel.
Crocus
Shares full sun and low water; blooms in late winter, before this one opens; both offer pollinator forage, in different months; lower at 4 in, for the front of the border.
Hyacinth
Shares full sun and low to moderate water; blooms in early spring, before this one opens; both offer pollinator forage, in different months; lower at 10 in, for the front of the border.
Fountain Grass
Shares full sun and low water; overlaps, then carries the display into mid fall; its seed heads stand through winter, for structure and the birds; taller at 3.3 ft, for the layer behind it.
Featured in these guides
Explore similar plants
You might also like
Design a garden with this
Drop this plant onto a 3D plan, see how it fills in, and watch your whole garden bloom across the year.