Catmint Nepeta racemosa 'Senior'

👤 Non-toxic to humans

🐾 Non-toxic to pets

🌸 Blooming

🍪 Not edible

‍🌱 Easy-care

ABOUT

The Nepeta racemosa 'Senior', commonly known as catmint, presents itself with a soft and inviting texture, primarily due to its fine, fragrant, grey-green foliage. The leaves are small, heart-shaped, and have a slightly furry or velvety texture, which is pleasing to touch. During the blooming period, catmint boasts a profusion of lavender-blue flowers that grow in dense spikes. These blossoms are tubular and delicate, attracting a variety of pollinators like bees, butterflies, and even hummingbirds. The combination of its aromatic leaves and pastel-hued flowers gives it a cottage garden charm, and it often exudes a light, calming scent that is beloved by many gardeners and passersby alike. The plant tends to have a rounded, mounding habit, with stems that can be both upright and sprawling, contributing to its lush appearance in garden settings.

Plant Info

Care

Common Problems

About this plant

Names
- Family
  Lamiaceae.
- Synonyms
  Dwarf Catmint, Raceme Catnip, Blue Nepeta, Persian Catmint, Senior Catmint.
- Common names
  Nepeta mussinii, Nepeta mussini, Nepeta racemosa, Glechoma racemosa.
Toxicity
- To humans
  The plant commonly known as Catmint (Nepeta racemosa 'Senior') is generally not considered toxic to humans. However, ingestion of any plant material can potentially cause discomfort, including gastrointestinal upset or allergic reactions in sensitive individuals.
- To pets
  Catmint (Nepeta racemosa 'Senior') is also generally considered safe for pets, including cats and dogs. It is related to catnip, which is known for its effects on cat behavior, often acting as a mild stimulant. However, excessive ingestion could potentially lead to mild gastrointestinal upset in some pets.
Characteristics
- Life cycle
  Perennials
- Foliage type
  Deciduous
- Color of leaves
  Green
- Flower color
  Lavender
- Height
  1-2 feet (30-60 cm)
- Spread
  1-2 feet (30-60 cm)
- Plant type
  Herb
- Hardiness zones
  4-8
- Native area
  Caucasus

Benefits

General Benefits
- Attracts Pollinators: Nepeta racemosa 'Senior', commonly known as Catmint, is highly attractive to bees, butterflies, and other beneficial insects, which are important for pollination in the garden.
- Low Maintenance: Catmint is known for its ease of care, requiring minimal attention once established, making it suitable for novice gardeners or those with little time for gardening.
- Drought Tolerance: Once established, this perennial is drought-resistant, making it suitable for xeriscaping or gardens in arid climates.
- Deer and Rabbit Resistant: Catmint is generally resistant to deer and rabbits, which can help to prevent damage to the garden by these animals.
- Aesthetic Appeal: With its lavender-blue flowers and grey-green foliage, it adds a splash of color and texture to garden borders, rock gardens, or as groundcover.
- Fragrant Foliage: The aromatic leaves of Catmint can add a pleasant scent to the garden, which can also be enjoyed in cut flower arrangements or dried for sachets.
- Long Blooming Season: Catmint has a long flowering period, often from late spring to early fall, providing extended visual interest in the landscape.
- Culinary Uses: While not its primary use, the leaves of Catmint can be used in small quantities to flavor certain dishes.
- Easy to Propagate: Catmint can be easily propagated from cuttings or division, making it simple to spread throughout the garden or share with friends and fellow gardeners.
Medical Properties
- Anxiolytic effects: The scent of catmint has been reported to have calming abilities, potentially reducing anxiety and stress levels.
- Sedative properties: Traditionally, catmint has been used to promote relaxation and sleep due to its mild sedative effects.
- Antispasmodic qualities: Catmint may provide relief from spasms and cramps, as it is believed to help relax muscles.
- Diuretic effects: It has been used to promote diuresis, aiding in the elimination of excess fluid from the body.
- Anti-inflammatory action: Compounds in catmint might offer anti-inflammatory benefits, which can be useful in treating conditions associated with inflammation.
- Digestive aid: Catmint is sometimes used to alleviate digestive issues, such as indigestion, gas, and bloating.
- Cold and flu remedy: Catmint has been employed in traditional medicine to reduce symptoms related to colds and flu, such as fever and congestion.
Air-purifying Qualities
This plant is not specifically known for air purifying qualities.
Other Uses
- Catnip 'Senior' can be used as a natural insect repellent when its leaves are crushed and rubbed onto the skin, as it contains nepetalactone which is intolerable to many insects.
- In the garden, Catnip 'Senior' acts as a companion plant by attracting beneficial insects, such as predatory wasps and butterflies, increasing biodiversity.
- It can be dried and used in potpourri to give a soothing aroma and also keep insects at bay inside the home.
- Catnip 'Senior' can be used to create a natural dye for fabrics, yielding a range of colors from yellow to soft green depending on the mordant used.
- The leaves of Catnip 'Senior' can be stuffed in toys for pet cats, providing them with hours of entertainment due to the stimulating effects of nepetalactone.
- Crushed leaves of Catnip 'Senior' can be infused in oil to create a natural herb-infused oil with a pleasant scent for use in homemade soaps or candles.
- It can serve as a natural fertilizer, as when Catnip 'Senior' decomposes, it adds beneficial nutrients back to the soil, promoting the health of surrounding plants.
- Planting Catnip 'Senior' in strategic areas can help deter rodents from the garden, as they dislike the smell of catnip.
- The flowers of Catnip 'Senior' can be used to add a decorative element and a mild flavor when sprinkled over salads or used as an edible garnish.
- Catnip 'Senior' can be planted to help control soil erosion due to its dense and fast-growing nature which helps to stabilize the soil with its root system.

Interesting Facts

Feng Shui
The Catmint is not used in Feng Shui practice.
Zodiac Sign Compitability
The Catmint is not used in astrology practice.
Plant Symbolism
- Tranquility: Catmint (Nepeta racemosa 'Senior') is known for its calming effects, both in the soothing fragrance of its leaves and the relaxing properties that are said to affect cats and humans alike.
- Playfulness: With the plant's ability to attract cats who exhibit playful behavior around it, catmint symbolizes lightheartedness and joy.
- Community and Sociability: As catmint is often a plant that brings cats together, it can represent the idea of community or social connections.
- Healing: Historically, catmint was used for medicinal purposes, which includes its mild sedative effects and usefulness in treating ailments like stomach upset, making it a symbol of healing.
- Attractiveness: Its lavender to violet-blue flowers are not only attractive to the human eye but also to bees and butterflies, symbolizing allure and magnetism.

💧

Every 1-2 weeks

Water

☀️

2500 - 10000 Lux

Light

💦️

Humidity

🪴

Every 2-3 years

Repotting

🌱️

Spring-Summer

Propogation

✂️️

As needed

Pruning

Water
For catmint 'Walker's Low,' water the plant deeply once a week, providing about 1 inch of water each time. During particularly hot or dry periods, you may need to water twice a week to prevent the soil from drying out completely. Ensure that the soil is well-drained as catmint does not like to sit in waterlogged soil. Reduce watering in the winter when the plant is dormant and does not require as much moisture. Avoid overhead watering to prevent issues with mildew, and instead, water at the base of the plant.
Light
Catmint 'Walker's Low' thrives best in full sun but can also tolerate partial shade. It should be placed in a location where it can receive at least 6 hours of direct sunlight each day. Avoid deeply shaded areas, as too little light can lead to weak growth and fewer flowers.
Temperature
Catmint 'Walker's Low' is a hardy perennial that can withstand temperatures as low as -30°F and as high as 90°F, although it prefers a range between 60°F and 80°F. This plant is adaptable to a variety of climates but thrives in conditions that are not excessively humid.
Pruning
Pruning catmint 'Walker's Low' is essential to maintain its shape and promote a second bloom. Shear the plant back by one-third after its initial flowering peak, typically in late spring or early summer. Pruning will encourage new growth and a flush of flowers later in the season. The best time to prune is when the flowers start to fade.
Cleaning
As needed
Soil
Catmint, commonly known as Nepeta racemosa 'Senior', thrives in well-draining, loamy or sandy soil with a pH of 6.0 to 7.5. A recipe for the best soil mix might include two parts garden soil, one part perlite or sand, and one part compost to ensure proper drainage and fertility.
Repotting
Catmint does not typically require frequent repotting. It should be repotted every two to three years to refresh the soil and give the roots room if they become crowded in the current pot.
Humidity & Misting
Catmint is tolerant of a wide range of humidity levels and generally does well in the average humidity found in outdoor environments. It does not have specific humidity requirements, so typical outdoor conditions suffice.
Suitable locations
- Indoor
  Place Catmint in a sunny spot with well-draining soil for successful indoor growth.
- Outdoor
  Ensure full sun to partial shade and well-draining soil for Catmint grown outdoors.
- Hardiness zone
  3-8 USDA
Life cycle
The Nepeta racemosa 'Senior', commonly known as Catmint, begins its life cycle as a seed, which, after experiencing a period of cold stratification, germinates in spring. This perennial herb then grows into a clump-forming plant with square stems and aromatic, grey-green foliage. During late spring to early summer, it enters the flowering stage, producing spikes of small, lavender-blue flowers that are highly attractive to bees and butterflies. After blooming, if the spent flowers are not removed, it may produce seeds that can be dispersed by wind, allowing the plant to self-sow and potentially spread in the garden. In autumn, the plant's above-ground growth starts to die back with the arrival of cooler temperatures and may go into a period of dormancy, especially in colder climates. When spring arrives again, the Catmint's root system will sprout new shoots, repeating the life cycle.
Propogation
- Propogation time
  Spring-Summer
- Propogation: Catmint 'Senior' can be easily propagated using stem cuttings, a common and reliable method. In spring or early summer, when the plant is in active growth, take a cutting approximately 4 to 6 inches (10 to 15 cm) long from a healthy mother plant. The cutting should have several sets of leaves. Remove the leaves from the lower half of the cutting, and dip the cut end in a rooting hormone powder to encourage root development. Place the cutting in a small pot filled with a mixture of half perlite and half peat moss, ensuring the leafless part of the stem is buried. Water the cutting well and place it in a warm spot with indirect light, keeping the soil consistently moist. Roots typically form within 4 to 6 weeks, after which the plant can be transferred to a larger pot or directly into the garden.