Nepeta or Perennial Catnip
Growing catnip or Nepeta is easy perennial gardening and here's what you need to know.
Growing Conditions for Nepeta
Full sun to part shade is best for this plant. It can tend to growing way too floppy even in the full sunshine so the more you reduce the sunshine, the floppier it gets.
To reduce flopping, try growing it next to something sturdy such as a daylily or even perennial geraniums or grasses
Nepeta doesn't like too much fertilizer as it does very well on poor soils. Rich soils reduce the fragrance of the leaves.
I note that butterflies and hummingbirds love this plant and it is deer resistant.
Most varieties are 24-36 inches tall and spread 24-inches wide.
Propagation
The named varieties of catnip or Nepeta are best propagated from division in the early spring or by tender tip cuttings. They will not come true from seed.
Species are easily started from seed in the early spring but the flowers are not as large or numerous as the named hybrids.
Hardiness
Figure this plant is tough through USDA zones 3-8
Varieties
*'Blue Wonder' lavender blue flowers
*'Walkers Low' 18-24 inches, Perennial Plant of the Year, good blue color
*'Six Hills Giant' good blooming plant, darker color, vigorous
*Nepeta subsessilis - 18 inches tall, will flower all summer if deadheaded, tender in USDA 4
*N. subsesselis 'Candy Cat' largest flowers of any catnip
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