How to Grow Catmint

Catmint

Nepeta × faassenii

herb

Catmint is a hardy, aromatic perennial herb known for its soft gray-green foliage and delicate lavender-blue flowers that bloom prolifically throughout the growing season. Highly attractive to pollinators and cats alike, it's a low-maintenance plant that thrives in well-drained soils and is drought-tolerant once established. The plant forms a neat mounding habit and is excellent for borders, containers, and pollinator gardens.

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Walker's Low Six Hills Giant Snowflake Blue Wonder Superba Kit Cat

Growing Conditions

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Sun: Full sun, 6-8 hours daily; tolerates partial shade in hot climates

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Water: Moderate water during establishment; drought-tolerant once established. Water when soil is dry to touch. Reduce watering in fall and winter. Avoid overwatering, which can cause root rot.

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Spacing: 18 inches

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Days to maturity: Flowers appear within 60-90 days from seed; mature plants reach full size in 1-2 seasons

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Planting depth: Seeds sown on soil surface or barely covered; transplants planted at same depth as pot

Soil

Type: Well-draining loamy or sandy soil

pH: 6.0-7.5

Amendments:

Compost or aged manure for initial planting Perlite or coarse sand to improve drainage

Growing Zones

Find your zone →

Thrives in zones 3-9, with best performance in zones 4-8

3a 3b 4a 4b 5a 5b 6a 6b 7a 7b 8a 8b 9a

Growth Stages

Seedling

2-3 weeks

Tiny cotyledons emerge within 7-14 days; first true leaves appear with characteristic soft texture and mild fragrance

Maintain consistent moisture but avoid waterlogging. Provide bright light. Thin seedlings to prevent crowding.

Vegetative Growth

4-8 weeks

Plant develops bushy mounding form with gray-green, aromatic foliage. Stems remain herbaceous and soft.

Water moderately during dry spells. Begin hardening off transplants before planting outdoors. Pinch back growing tips to encourage bushier growth.

Flowering

8-12 weeks (can repeat if deadheaded)

Delicate two-lipped flowers in shades of lavender-blue, pink, or white appear in whorled spikes above foliage. Blooms attract bees and butterflies.

Deadhead spent flowers regularly to encourage continuous blooming. Water during extended dry periods. No fertilizer needed; excess nitrogen reduces flowering.

Flowering Peak & Seed Set

4-6 weeks

Flowers continue abundantly if deadheaded; if allowed to set seed, flowering slows. Mature seed pods dry on the plant.

For prolonged blooms, continue deadheading. If collecting seed, allow some flowers to mature. Cut back plants by one-third if they become leggy.

Dormancy/Winter

3-4 months

Foliage may fade or die back in cold climates. In mild zones, the plant retains some evergreen foliage.

Do not cut back until spring to protect crown. Reduce watering significantly. No fertilizer. In zone 3-4, add light mulch for extra protection.

Companion Planting

Plan your garden →

Plant with:

Lavender Russian Sage Coreopsis Black-eyed Susan Alliums Salvias Sedum Santolina Thyme

Avoid planting near:

Plants requiring consistently moist soil Heavy feeders in confined spaces

Common Pests

Spray with strong water stream; use insecticidal soap or neem oil if severe. Encourage natural predators like ladybugs.
Increase humidity; spray leaves with water. Use miticide if heavily infested.
Use yellow sticky traps; spray with insecticidal soap or neem oil.

Uses

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Herbal tea and traditional remedy

Medicinal

Catmint has been used traditionally to make a soothing herbal tea believed to aid digestion, reduce anxiety, and promote relaxation. The plant contains iridoid compounds that have mild sedative properties. [source]

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Flavoring and garnish

Culinary

Fresh or dried catmint leaves can be used as a garnish or flavoring for teas, cocktails, and culinary dishes with a mild mint-like taste. The flowers are also edible and make attractive decorative elements. [source]

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Pollinator magnet

Wildlife

Catmint is highly attractive to bees, butterflies, and other beneficial pollinators, making it an excellent plant for supporting pollinator populations in gardens and meadows. [source]

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Cat enrichment and play

Household

Cats are attracted to catmint and enjoy playing with and chewing the leaves and flowers, making it a natural way to provide enrichment for indoor and outdoor cats. The scent mimics feline pheromones. [source]

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Dried arrangements and potpourri

Craft

Dried catmint flowers and foliage hold their color and fragrance well, making them ideal for dried flower arrangements, wreaths, and potpourri blends. [source]

This is not medical advice. LizPlants is not a medical resource. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional before using plants medicinally.

Harvest Tips

Harvest leaves and flowers throughout the growing season by pinching or cutting stems just above a leaf node. Best harvested in the morning after dew dries. For drying, cut stems when flowers are just opening and hang upside down in a cool, dark place. Cut back plants by one-third in early summer after first flush of blooms to rejuvenate and promote repeat flowering.

Fun Facts

🌱 Catmint produces a volatile compound called nepetalactone that triggers a euphoric response in cats similar to catnip, though it's actually a different plant (Nepeta cataria). Some cats are attracted to N. × faassenii as well.
🌱 The plant has been cultivated and used in herbal medicine for centuries across Europe and Asia, with references dating back to ancient Greece and Rome.
🌱 Catmint is a hybrid between Nepeta racemosa and Nepeta nepetella, and the × symbol in its scientific name indicates its hybrid origin.

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