Should I Grow Catnip or Catmint?

Catmint blossoms up close

Recently I gave a lecture to a local garden club about herbs. A woman asked the difference between catnip and catmint. The names make them sound similar, they both are herbaceous plants that grow in the DC metro area, and they both are in the Nepeta genus, which is in the mint family.

Catnip blooming, photo courtesy of Mountain Valley Growers

Here are the differences. Catnip (Nepeta cataria) is the plant we grow for our cats. These plants have nepetalactone, a chemical that is structurally like feline pheromones. You can purchase the catnip plant in containers at garden centers, or you can purchase a seed packet (easy to grow from seed). At garden centers, the plants are in the herb section, not the perennial section. However, catnip is a perennial, hardy to Zone 3, but it is considered weedy looking. The plant grows to 3 feet tall with spikes of small white flowers. The gray-green leaves look like lemon balm leaves. After the plant blooms, goldfinches will flock to eat the seeds, but the plant may also re-seed readily in the garden. People can make herbal teas with catnip for a soothing, calming effect.

Cats’ reactions to catnip vary – some roll around in it in a state of euphoria while others get very mellow and calm. The foliage dries well, and bags of dried foliage are sold commercially to be given to cats as treats.

Nepeta ‘Cat’s Meow’, photo courtesy of Proven Winners

Catmint is a desirable, ornamental plant for the garden. Catmint is edible but no one eats it or uses it as an herb. There are many Nepeta cultivars and species on the market. In the perennial section of the garden center, you will find containers of cultivars with names such as Walker’s Low, Cat’s Meow, and Cat’s Pajamas. Depending on the variety, catmint will grow to 1 to 3 feet tall and bloom spikes of purple, pink, or white flowers. The plants can be grown in full sun to light shade, in well-drained soil. Part of catmint’s charm is that the plants are summer bloomers, drought and heat tolerant, and deer and rabbit resistant. After they bloom, the flower spikes can be sheared to encourage a subsequent flush of color. Although catmint is commonly sold at local garden centers, one can also order plants from online sources such Digging Dog, Monrovia, and Proven Winners.

Cats may prefer both catnip and catmint or just catnip. If they do roll around in catmint in the garden, the plant will bounce back. Both can be grown in the garden but the one you select depends on if you have cats.

Nepeta ‘Cat’s Pajamas’, photo courtesy of Proven Winners