Catmint
Nepeta × faassenii
Family Lamiaceae
A lavender-blue haze that lasts four months — catmint is the edging plant lavender wishes it could be, billowing soft gray-green mounds that blur every hard line a path or wall makes. Where lavender sulks and dies in heavy clay, this one simply gets on with blooming.
Bees work it all day, deer and rabbits leave it alone, and drought barely registers. It softens rose beds, spills over path edges, and asks nothing in return. Set a row along your sunniest walk and let it do the blurring.
Full Sun
Low water
Fast growth
Deer-resistant
Attracts bees
From the print shop
Growing catmint? Hang it.
Our Plant Library collection carries catmint — Nepeta faassenii, print Nº 97, “Catmint.”
526 designsfrom $12.99white or black backgroundmatte poster, unframed
Will it thrive where you are?
Enter your ZIP — we look up your USDA hardiness zone (2023 map) and check it against what catmint actually needs.
Hardy inZones 3-8Catmint · Common problems
Common catmint problems
Pests
3 problems on file
- None — deer
- rabbits
- and drought all bounce off
Diseases
1 problem on file
- None significant
Catmint · Growing & propagation
Growing catmint
- Light
- Full Sun
- Water
- Low
A drought camel
Soil- Any drained · pH 6.0 - 8.0
Fertilizer- None
Pruning- Spring
Shear by half after first bloom wave — instant tidy mound, full rebloom in 2 weeks.
Spacing- 18-24 in
How to plant & propagate catmint
- Propagate
- Division or seed
Catmint · Calculators & field guides
A little help in the garden.
Catmint · Yearly calendar
The catmint year, month by month
Jan
No calendar activity is listed for this month.
BloomPruneBloomMay to September
PruneMarch to May
What each band means
- Bloom — flowers open — pollinators working, frost on blossoms is the danger.
- Prune — shape it now — cuts heal cleanly and structure is visible.
These are the species' typical months — expect them a few weeks earlier in warm zones and later in cold ones. Watch the plant, not just the calendar.
Catmint · Ecology & uses
Ecology & uses
Nepeta × faassenii
Catmint in the garden system
- Herbaceous layer perennial
- Nectary/insectary
Attracts- Bees
Moisture- Upland / dry
- Deer
- Resistant
A safer unfenced choice
Origin- Introduced
What catmint is grown for
✓ Not known to be toxicmildly catnip-y to some cats
Use- Path edging
- Use
- Rose companions
- Use
- Dry gardens
Edibility, identification, and traditional-use notes here are general reference — not medical or veterinary advice, and not a claim that any plant treats or prevents anything. Medicinal ratings record how strongly a plant features in herbal tradition, nothing more. Never eat or dose a plant you have not positively identified. More on how to use this library.
Catmint · Varieties & cultivars
Choosing a catmint variety
'Walker's Low' (the standard — not actually low); 'Cat's Meow' (tidy); 'Junior Walker' (dwarf)
Sources & plant identity
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Catmint
Nepeta × faassenii
The plant, at a glance.
- Botanical name
- Nepeta × faassenii
- Plant family
- Lamiaceae
- Growth habit
- Perennial
- Origin
- Introduced
- Invasive risk
- Low
Hardiness, size and timing vary with your cultivar, soil and climate.
Rooted in research.
University extension research, brought together with hands-on growing experience at Story Thyme Farms.
Questions
Catmint questions, answered straight.
Do deer eat catmint?
Rarely — catmint is considered deer-resistant, which makes it one of the safer unfenced choices in deer country. Hungry deer in a hard winter test every rule, but it's a low-risk pick.
Is catmint safe for kids and pets?
Catmint is commonly eaten and isn't considered toxic, but "commonly eaten" isn't a guarantee for any particular person or animal — allergies, quantity, and which part you eat all matter. One caveat on this one: mildly catnip-y to some cats. Never eat a plant you haven't positively identified, and check with a vet before letting pets or livestock graze anything new.
How do you propagate catmint?
Division or seed.
Elsewhere
Where catmint sits in the library.
Sunflower
Zinnia
Peony
Daylily