Catmint (Nepeta × faassenii)
Zone: 3 to 9
Exposure: Sun to part shade
Height: 9″ to 18″
Width: 18″ to 36″
Bloom time: Late spring to early summer
Flower color: blue, purple, pink, white
Catmint (Nepeta) is a compact plant (about 12″ high) with silvery leaves and beautiful purple-blue flowers.
It typically blooms in the mid spring through the summer and looks beautiful in combination with other flowers (such as native azalea and Phlox subulata).
Since it is a member of the mint family (a much better-behaved member than regular mint), Nepeta has aromatic leaves that attract bees, butterflies and birds, but make it deer and rabbit resistant.
And its herb heritage also makes it heat- and drought-tolerant.
The only word of caution?
True to its name, cats do love to roll in it…so the plant may get squished if your neighborhood kitty stops by (it doesn’t seem to hurt the plant).
This post was originally published on June 16, 2020 but was updated with new content on February 14, 2022.