Posts Tagged: catmint
Ready or Not, Here I Come!
Ready or not, here I come! "Wait, can you slow down a bit?" I ask. "I can't focus when you move so...
A digger bee, Anthophora urbana in flight, as it heads for another catmint blossom. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
Happy Fly Day Friday!
Happy Fly Day Friday! If you've ever wondered why entomologists and insect enthusiasts post images...
It's Friday Fly Day, so how about three green bottle flies on a catmint leaf? Imsge taken in Vacaville. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
The Bee and the Butterfly
So here's this Gulf Fritillary (Agraulis vanillae) clinging to a lavender stem in our pollinator...
A Gulf Fritillary (Agraulis vanillae) clinging to a lavender stem in Vacaville, Calif. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
A honey bee, seeking nectar from a lavender, buzzes a Gulf Fritillary, Agraulis vanillae. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
It's up and over and away for the honey bee. Can't you see as big a thing as me? (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
Gulf Fritillary heads for the nearby catmint patch. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
Crazy for Catmint: Celebrate your Cat for National Cat Day Oct. 29th!
Dedicated to Rascal Snowden.
Some of us garden for ourselves, others for our children and pets. When it comes to gardening for your fur friends, especially cats, catnip is the first thing that most people think of. Catnip (or catmint), Nepeta cataria, is in the mint family, Lamiaceae. Members of this aromatic family include many common herbs like rosemary, basil, thyme, oregano, lavender and perilla. Nepetalactone is the compound in catnip that gives it a fragrance. Not all cats respond to nepetalactone but those that do are drawn to the garden to sniff, roll around and generally enjoy the plant.
Traditional catnip, Nepeta cataria, should be planted with caution. It re-seeds readily and therefore requires a fair amount of maintenance to keep the plant from getting out of hand. Fortunately, there are numerous kinds of catmint that a gardener can choose from, all with the same cat alluring nepetalactone.
Look for a catmint with valuable landscape qualities such as a long blooming period and maneagable growth habit. All Nepeta attract pollinators, are drought tolerant, rabbit and deer resistant, and according to the American Chemical Society may help repel mosquitos from the garden.
A common and favorite catmint is Walker's Low catmint (Nepeta racemosa ‘Walker's Low'). This particular catmint was the 2007 Perennial Plant of the Year and is an attractive garden showstopper with a soft gray-green foliage and bright lavender-blue flowers. It is suitable in Sunset zones 1-24 and does not reseed like other Nepeta racemosa.
Many gardeners use Walker's Low catmint as a groundcover although with flower spikes 2-3 feet tall, it can easily be placed farther back in a planting bed and still get attention. This easy to grow catmint tolerates full sun and morning sun with afternoon shade.
If you are looking to give your garden some “cattitude”, take a little time to look into the many catmints available and which one is most suitable for your space.
All Wrapped Up
Just call it a missed opportunity. Catmint (genus Nepeta) draws scores of insects, from honey bees...
A cellar spider eyes a honey bee in the catmint (Nepeta). (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
All wrapped up--a cellar spider nabs another cellar spider. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)