Catmint is an herbaceous perennial in the Lamiaceae (mint) family that has a number of species and hybrids. Catmint originated in Temperate Eurasia and Macaronesia to Eastern Tropical Africa. It came to be called catmint owing to having a strong scent that cats find attractive. Catmint requires full sun and good drainage. It is drought tolerant once established. It is less picky about its soil and will grow in clay, loam, sandy, or shallow rocky soil. When flowers begin to fade, shear them off to encourage new growth and another wave of flowering. Catmint has a clumping habit. Propagate it by division or seed. As a garden plant, catmint acts as a repellent for certain insects, including aphids and squash bugs. The minty-flavored leaves are edible. Catmint's spreading form makes it a good choice for meadows, naturalized areas, and cottage gardens. It works well in containers, planted along walkways, or nestled between rocks in a rock garden. Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems: No significant problems though it can be a bit weedy. VIDEO Created by Homegrown featuring Mark Weathington , Director of JC Raulston Arboretum
Curated pairwise relationships between this plant and others in the library — who feeds
whom, who competes, who confuses the pests. Green reads as a good pairing, red as one to avoid.
No curated interactions recorded for this species yet.
Also noted by NC State
Related species the NC State Plant Toolbox flags for this plant — look-alikes to tell
apart, and plants that play a similar role in a planting. Ones we carry in the library are linked.
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
Soil texture
Clay; Loam (Silt); Sand; Shallow Rocky
Soil drainage
Good Drainage
NC region
Coastal; Mountains; Piedmont
Growth rate
Medium
Maintenance
Low
Canopy layer
4 - Herbaceous
Form & Appearance
Habit / form
Clumping; Spreading
Foliage
Deciduous
Leaf color
Gray/Silver; Green
Leaf type
Simple
Leaf arrangement
Opposite
Leaf shape
Ovate; Rhomboidal
Leaf margin
Serrate
Leaf feel
Soft
Leaf value
Edible; Fragrant
Leaf size
1-3 inches long
Hairs present
Yes
Leaf detail
3-inch aromatic grey-green leaves have downy stems and leaves which help give the plant its grey-green appearance.
Flower color
Blue; Purple/Lavender; White
Flower form
Spike
Flower shape
Lipped
Flower size
< 1 inch
Flower detail
Small, two-lipped, white (with pale purple spotting) flowers (1/4" long) bloom in spike-like terminal clusters at the stem ends from late spring well into summer.
Bloom time
Spring; Summer
Fruit type
Nut
Fruit detail
Long ovoid smooth or ribbed nutlets
Stem color
Gray/Silver; Green
Stem detail
Downy stems
Wildlife & Ecology
Native status
Non-native
Origin
Temperate. Eurasia, Macaronesia to Eastern Tropical Africa
Distribution
Much of Canada and US
Wildlife value
Flowers attract butterflies.
Attracts
Butterflies
Food & Medicine
Edible parts
Leaves
Fruit type
Nut
Edibility
Herbal teas from leaves. Fresh leaves (minty flavor) may be chopped and added to soups, stews, sauces, vegetables, or pasta
Uses (ethnobotany)
As a garden plant, catnip acts as a repellent for certain insects, including aphids and squash bugs.