The illustrated growing guide
Catmint
Nepeta × faassenii
Family Lamiaceae
Est. zones 3-8
The perennial that fixes edges: lavender-blue haze for four months, zero pests, zero watering, softens every path it touches. If lavender fails in your clay, this is the answer.
Full Sun
Low water
Fast growth
Deer-resistant
Attracts bees
From the print shop
Growing catmint? Hang it.
Our Cottage Garden Vol. 2 collection carries catmint — Nepeta faassenii, print Nº 10, “Catmint.”
16 designsfrom $21.99white or black groundmatte poster, unframed
I
Overview
Will catmint suit your garden, and what goes wrong.
Will it thrive where you are?
Enter your ZIP — we look up your USDA hardiness zone (2023 map) and check it against what catmint actually needs.
Hardy inZones 3-8Catmint at a glance
Common catmint problems
- None — deer
- rabbits
- and drought all bounce off
- None significant
II
Growing
Light, water, soil, propagation and the season’s jobs.
How to grow catmint: light, water & soil
How to plant & propagate catmint
III
The year
What catmint asks for, month by month.
The catmint year, month by month
BloomPruneWhat each band means
- Bloom — flowers open — pollinators working, frost on blossoms is the danger.
- Prune — shape it now — cuts heal cleanly and structure is visible.
The catmint year as text
- Jan quiet month
- Feb quiet month
- Mar pruning
- Apr pruning
- May bloom, pruning
- Jun bloom
- Jul bloom
- Aug bloom
- Sep bloom
- Oct quiet month
- Nov quiet month
- Dec quiet month
These are the species' typical months — expect them a few weeks earlier in warm zones and later in cold ones. Watch the plant, not just the calendar.
IV
Ecology & uses
What it does for the garden, and what it is grown for.
Catmint in the garden system
- Herbaceous layer perennial
- Nectary/insectary
What catmint is grown for
✓ Not known to be toxicmildly catnip-y to some cats
Edibility, identification, and traditional-use notes here are general reference — not medical or veterinary advice, and not a claim that any plant treats or prevents anything. Medicinal ratings record how strongly a plant features in herbal tradition, nothing more. Never eat or dose a plant you have not positively identified. More on how to use this library.
V
Cultivars
Named varieties of catmint, ruled as a catalogue.
Best catmint varieties & cultivars
'Walker's Low' (the standard — not actually low); 'Cat's Meow' (tidy); 'Junior Walker' (dwarf)
VI
Sources & plant ID
Where the care distinctions come from, and how the plant is filed.
Research basis
Sources behind this profile
No extension citations are attached to catmintyet. The care figures below come from the library's own catalogue rather than a traced primary source.
Plant ID
VII
Where to buy
Third-party nurseries — not Story Thyme Farms.
Third-party nurseries, not Story Thyme Farms. Prices are theirs.
Story Thyme Farms may earn a small commission from these links, at no cost to you — it never changes what we recommend.
VIII
Questions
Catmint questions, answered straight.
Do deer eat catmint?
Rarely — catmint is considered deer-resistant, which makes it one of the safer unfenced choices in deer country. Hungry deer in a hard winter test every rule, but it's a low-risk pick.
Is catmint safe for kids and pets?
Catmint is commonly eaten and isn't considered toxic, but "commonly eaten" isn't a guarantee for any particular person or animal — allergies, quantity, and which part you eat all matter. One caveat on this one: mildly catnip-y to some cats. Never eat a plant you haven't positively identified, and check with a vet before letting pets or livestock graze anything new.
How do you propagate catmint?
Division or seed.
IX
Elsewhere
Where catmint sits in the library.
Sunflower
Zinnia
Peony
Daylily