The real catnip (bot. Nepeta cataria), also known as cat balm or cat herb, not only attracts four-legged friends with its scent, but is also a beautiful perennial for the natural or herb garden. Rather inconspicuous outside of the flowering period, the plant shines with its lush flowers in the most beautiful shades. Another plus point: catnip successfully keeps numerous pests away and is therefore ideal as a protective companion plant for sensitive species, for example in rose beds.

Not only cats love catnip

Table of Contents

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  1. origin and distribution
  2. use
  3. appearance and growth
  4. flowering and flowering time
  5. toxicity
  6. location and soil
  7. Plant catnip properly
  8. watering and fertilizing
  9. Cut catnip properly
  10. Propagating catnip
  11. hibernate
  12. diseases and pests
  13. species and varieties

    14. origin and distribution

    Real catnip belongs to the catnip genus (bot. Nepeta), which includes around 250 different, deciduous species of perennials. Most of these are native to Asia and Africa, but have also been released into the wild in Europe since the middle of the 18th century. For this reason, real catnip can be found in some regions of Germany, primarily on the edges of fields and paths. The various species occur naturally primarily in dry locations, but also on damp mountain slopes or in forests. Of the numerous species, about 20 are planted as ornamental plants in our gardens. They are popular mainly for their long and intense flowering period, as well as their usefulness as insect pasture - not to mention that they are very low maintenance plants.

    use

    Low-growing species of the genus such as Nepeta racemosa are wonderful for edging beds, as they form dense cushions and thus create a beautiful purple or white flowering frame. Higher-growing varieties are perfect rose companions due to their filigree growth, especially as they keep annoying pests away. Species such as blue mint are therefore very suitable as a substitute for lavender. But be careful: cats like to roll in the plant, which they find irresistible, and can destroy beds that have been laboriously tended in this way. To prevent this behavior, it is best to reach for the lemon-scented common catnip (bot. Nepeta cataria), which is native to us, as this species is avoided by our four-legged friends.

    Catnip in the garden

    Catnip only reveal their beauty at second glance, which is why they are perfect for a border or background planting. The mostly blue-violet or white-flowered species accompany roses or create a calming antithesis to showy perennials such as the orange torch lily. In general, lush flowering, high-growing perennials or plants with large leaves go perfectly with the rather filigree and small-leaved catnip. Furthermore, the different species not only cut a fine figure in natural and medicinal gardens, but also in boxes and tubs on the balcony or terrace.

    effect on animals

    The blossoms, especially of real catnip, contain the fragrance nepetalactone, which is very similar to the sex attractant of some insect species and therefore magically attracts them. These are often beneficial insects such as the lacewing, which cannot resist the pheromone-like scent. Lacewings are important helpers in combating aphids, which primarily attack roses.

    Cats also find catnip very attractive - hence the German species name - and often like to roll in this herb. This in turn is due to the ingredient actinidin, which is also excreted in the urine of non-neutered female cats and thus primarily attracts and intoxicates hangovers. But be careful: catnip has such a beguiling effect on some animals that they become aggressive. If you observe such behavior in your cat, you should refrain from planting in the garden as a precaution.

    Even if the herb is irresistibly attractive to many animals, the scent reliably deters others. Pests such as mosquitoes, fleas or cockroaches in particular flee from the lemony scent. Furthermore, catnip is particularly suitable in the form of aromatic oil to deter rats.

    effect on people

    Many of the catnip species known today have their homeland in the Mediterranean region and spread to almost all of Europe with the Romans and their campaigns of conquest. So the Nepeta cataria found a welcome home here too and was cultivated more than 1000 years ago in monastery and cottage gardens for its medicinal properties. Medieval scholars and healers such as Hildegard von Bingen described Nepeta cataria, its effects and applications in great detail. The common catnip was used for many purposes, such as stomach problems and flatulence, to relieve infections, to clean wounds or to calm nervous conditions. In the garden, on the other hand, Nepeta cataria with its white flowers is rather inconspicuous, so that other species are usually used here. Incidentally, the subspecies Nepeta cataria ssp. citriodora.

    Preparation of catnip tea

    As a tea, Nepeta cataria has a sleep-inducing, analgesic and antipyretic effect. To prepare, take two tablespoons of the dried leaves, pour hot (but not yet boiling!) water over them and let the brew steep for five minutes. Depending on your taste, the refreshingly lemony-minty tasting tea can be sweetened with honey. A few fresh leaves, which you chew thoroughly, help with toothache.
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    appearance and growth

    Catnip belong to the mint family (bot. Lamiaceae) and are divided into short and taller species. The leaves are silver-grey to fresh green and are arranged oppositely on the stems, so that there are always two leaves at the same height. The whole plant smells very intensely of lemon and mint.

    The short varieties of catnip are only between 20 and 30 centimeters high, but they grow wide and can develop into lush cushions over time. These varieties are particularly suitable for edging beds or for planting underground perennial borders.

    With an average growth height of up to 60 centimeters, the representatives of the Nepeta-Faassenii variety group, which are crosses between Nepeta racemosa, Nepeta nepetella and other species, are slightly larger. These varieties flower a little later than the smaller representatives and are looser in structure. The foliage is usually silver-grey in color. With a growth height of around 120 centimetres, the varieties of the Nepeta grandiflora variety group, which also has gray leaves, are significantly taller.

    flowering and flowering time

    Most types of catnip show their blooms between April and July, although the flowering period can be extended even further by pruning them back in a timely manner. Depending on the type and variety, the plants bloom in violet, blue, white or pink, with their filigree labiate flowers numerously grouped in narrow inflorescences. These sit on flower stalks up to one and a half meters high.

    toxicity

    Contrary to the fears of many garden and cat owners, catnip is not poisonous to humans or animals - even if it can sometimes cause intoxication-like states and should therefore only be used in careful doses. Instead, the young leaves and flowers can be used both in medicine and in the kitchen. The slightly sweet and minty-tasting parts of the plant are ideal for smoothies, salads and summery desserts.

    location and soil

    With the exception of a few species, catnip prefer a full sun to sunny spot in the garden - just as they do in their natural habitat in Africa and Asia. Otherwise, the perennials do well in nutrient-rich, well-drained and sandy to loamy garden soil. This ideally has a neutral to slightly alkaline pH between six and seven. The substrate should be loose and not compacted, since catnip, like so many other plants, does not tolerate waterlogging.

    Plant catnip properly

    Catnips grow just as splendidly outdoors as they do in balcony boxes or other planters - provided they are in a sunny spot. Since the small perennials can become very wide - some species even form runners - the planting distance should be about 30 centimeters, with the tall varieties even more. Therefore, count on around three to eight plants per square meter of planting area, depending on the type and variety. In a container planting, on the other hand, the catnips are welcome to be a little closer together. Before planting, dip the root ball in a bucket of water to soak it up with moisture.
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    watering and fertilizing

    Most catnip species - not all - are very drought-tolerant plants that can do well without watering for long periods of time. You should only use a watering can if the water is very hot or dry, but you should definitely avoid waterlogging. Specimens cultivated in tubs, on the other hand, depend on a regular water supply and are always poured when the top layer of substrate has dried. Water in the saucer or in the cachepot must always be removed promptly, as the plants are very sensitive to it. Basically, fertilizing is only necessary for potted plants, which you can supply with a low-dose liquid fertilizer for flowering plants during the main growing season.

    Cut catnip properly

    After the main flowering - for most species and varieties this ends between July and August - cut back the catnip vigorously and remove the faded shoots. The plants then develop an afterflora, a second bloom that can last well into autumn. If you want or have to prevent the plants from spreading, cut back again in early spring.
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    Propagating catnip

    There are several ways to increase catnip specifically. In addition to the vegetative forms - such as cuttings or division - you can also use seeds you have bought or collected yourself. After flowering, the perennials develop inconspicuous pods that contain up to four seeds and through which the plants can self-sow.

    sowing

    Sow the seeds in a shallow container with a nutrient-poor growing medium, cover them only very lightly with soil and place them in a warm and bright place. The seeds germinate best at constant temperatures of around 20 degrees Celsius. Keep the substrate slightly damp with the help of an atomizer. After about two to three weeks, the first green tips can be seen and as soon as the seedlings have developed at least four leaves, you can transplant them directly into the field or into planters. However, only move them outdoors from the middle to the end of May, when no more frosty nights are to be expected.

    Propagation by cuttings

    However, it is quicker and less complicated to propagate using cuttings that you cut either between April and May or in early autumn. The shoots should be about five to seven centimeters long, and the lower leaves should also be removed. Either root the little ones in a glass of water (change the water every day!) or plant them straight away in a container with a nutrient-poor growing substrate. The latter is recommended because it is easier. Place the young plants in a nutrient-rich substrate or in the desired outdoor location as soon as they start to develop their own new shoots. However, this should not be done before mid to late May because of the risk of frost.

    divide

    Since catnips are perennial and often vigorous plants, they can easily be propagated by division. In any case, this procedure is recommended every three to four years to keep the plants young and strong. Divide the catnips by poking out clumps of the desired size with a sharp and clean spade in early spring or early fall, lifting them out and replanting them in a new location. Before planting again, dip the roots of the subplants in a bucket of water to make it easier for them to root.
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    hibernate

    Although many catnips come from rather warm climes, they are still extremely frost hardy and very insensitive to the harsh winter weather conditions. Therefore - except for cuttings - no special protective measures are necessary for overwintering. Only specimens cultivated in pots should be wintered frost-free, but cool and bright indoors.

    diseases and pests

    With regard to diseases and pests, catnip is very insensitive because all parts of the plant contain the active ingredient nepetalactone. This has both an antiviral and antimicrobial effect and reliably drives away annoying vermin - with one exception: slugs like to eat catnip, which is why you should protect a planting with slug fences or even slug pellets (7.49€).

    tips

    If you would like to plant catnip in your garden but can no longer spare a sunny location, simply place the Japanese catnip (bot. Nepeta subsessilis) or the Chinese scorpionfish (bot. Nepeta prattii) in a sunny but bright spot.

    species and varieties

    The following types and varieties of catnip are particularly popular in the garden and for pot culture:

    • Nepeta cataria 'Citriodora': strong scent of lemon, perfect for making tea, bushy growth up to 60 centimeters high, numerous white flower spikes between July and August, good second flowering
    • Nepeta x faassenii 'Alba': white-flowered variety with grey-green foliage and bushy growth, height of growth up to 30 centimetres, flowering period May to August, suitable for dry locations
    • Nepeta x faassenii 'Dropmore': compact-growing, up to 60 centimeters high perennial with rather loose growth and violet-blue flower clusters between May and August
    • Nepeta x faassenii 'Gletschereis': healthy, very robust variety with numerous whitish-blue flower clusters between May and August, bushy growth with growth heights of up to approx. 50 centimetres
    • Nepeta x faassenii 'Kit Cat': bushy, low-growing variety, up to a maximum of 30 centimeters high, many blue-violet to blue flower spikes between May and August
    • Nepeta x faassenii 'Senior': low-growing variety that grows to a maximum height of 30 centimetres, cushion-like growth, good second flowering, numerous blue-violet flowers between May and August
    • Nepeta x faassenii 'Six Hills Giant': densely bushy, older and tried variety, up to 80 centimeters high, numerous violet-blue flowers between May and August
    • Nepeta grandiflora 'Blue Danube': variety of large-flowered catnip, bushy growth with growth heights of up to approx. 80 centimetres, numerous violet-blue flower spikes between June and August
    • Nepeta grandiflora 'Bramdean': variety of large-flowered catnip, bushy growth with growth heights of up to approx. 90 centimetres, numerous large, dark purple flower spikes between June and September
    • Nepeta grandiflora 'Zinser's Giant': variety of large-flowered catnip, bushy, loosely branched growth with growth heights of up to 80 centimeters, many blue-violet flower panicles
    • Nepeta grandiflora 'Dawn to Dusk': loose, bushy growing variety, up to approx. 80 centimeters high, numerous pale pink flower spikes between June and August
    • Nepeta nervosa: also veined catnip, up to 30 centimeters high and just as wide, blooms between July and August in numerous light blue-violet panicles
    • Nepeta nervosa 'Schneehäschen': loose, compact growth with growth heights of up to approx. 30 centimetres, striking pure white flower spikes between June and September, perfect as a companion to roses
    • Nepeta racemosa 'Grog': variety of grape catnip, particularly floriferous variety with good second blooms, numerous blue-violet flower panicles between May and August, bushy, low habit up to about 30 centimeters high
    • Nepeta racemosa 'Odeur Citron': pretty, low-growing variety with blue-violet flowers between May and August, up to 30 centimeters high, pillow-like habit
    • Nepeta racemosa 'Snowflake': variety that grows like a cushion, a maximum of approx. 30 centimeters high and just as wide, many white flower spikes between May and August
    • Nepeta sibirica: fast-growing species with a preference for moist soil, up to 80 centimeters high, violet-blue flower spikes between June and July, good second flowers, runners
    • Nepeta subsessilis 'Sweet Dreams': bushy growing variety with light pink flowers for partially shaded locations, height of growth up to about 60 centimetres, abundant flowering between June and September

Category:

Herbs