Bountiful Gardens

The Garden Workhorse: Endless Blue with Nepeta racemosa

The Snapshot

• Common Name: Catmint, Persian Catmint, Raceme Catnip

• Scientific Name: Nepeta racemosa (Often sold as the hybrid Nepeta × faassenii)

• Origin: Native to the Caucasus, Turkey, and Northern Iran

• Hardiness: Zones 4 – 9

• The "Vibe": Soft, romantic, and unshakeable; the "denim jeans" of the garden border.

Why We Love It

Nepeta racemosa is the ultimate "filler" plant. It forms a low, spreading mound of aromatic, grey-green foliage that acts as a perfect foil for brighter flowers. Unlike its cousin, the common Catnip (Nepeta cataria), which can look a bit "weedy," Nepeta racemosa stays tidy, ornamental, and refined. It produces a dizzying number of tiny, tubular, violet-blue flowers on upright spikes that sway in the breeze.

Ecosystem & Wildlife Impact

• The Bee Buffet: Catmint is a top-tier nectar plant. On a sunny day, the plant will practically "vibrate" with the activity of Honeybees, Bumblebees, and Leafcutter bees.

• Hummingbird Stopover: While the flowers are small, their tubular shape makes them a favorite for local hummingbirds.

• Butterfly Support: Highly attractive to Skippers and Small Tortoiseshell butterflies.

• Pest Deterrent: The high concentration of nepetalactone in the leaves (the scent) is actually a natural deterrent for aphids and squash bugs, making it a great "companion plant" for veggie gardens.

Designer Tips: Where to Plant

• The "Edging" Champion: Plant Catmint along the edge of a walkway or driveway. It will spill over the hard edges, softening the lines of your landscape.

• The Rose Companion: This is the classic pairing. The soft blue of the Catmint hides the "bare legs" of Roses and contrasts beautifully with pink, red, or yellow rose blooms.

• Lavender Substitute: If your soil is too heavy or your climate too wet for Lavender, plant Nepeta. It gives you the same silvery-blue look but is far more forgiving.

Designer Pro-Tip: To get a second, massive flush of flowers in late summer, do the "Big Shear." Once the first round of blooms starts to fade and look "seedy" (usually in July), cut the whole plant back by half with garden shears. It will look like a sad stump for about a week, but within 14 days, you’ll have a fresh, compact mound of green leaves and brand-new blue flowers.

Stories from the Garden

"I have a row of Catmint along my front sidewalk. It’s been there for six years, and I’ve never watered it once after the first summer. It’s a solid wall of blue from May until October. I call it my 'lazy gardener's dream' because it looks like I spend hours on it, but I only touch it once a year to cut it back."

— Sarah P., Zone 5 Gardener

A Growing Story: The Bumblebee Nap

A customer once told us she found a bumblebee "sleeping" on her Catmint late in the evening. Because the flowers are so nectar-rich and the foliage is so soft, it’s a common sight to see tired bees resting on the spikes. It’s a plant that provides a literal bed-and-breakfast for the local pollinators.