Nepeta Mussinii - Catmint
Nepeta Mussinii - Catmint
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Nepeta 'Mussinii' Seeds (Catmint)
If you want to soften the hard lines of a path, spill over the edge of a raised bed, or create a river of blue under your roses, Nepeta mussinii is the answer. It forms a low, tumbling mound of aromatic, silver-grey foliage topped with endless spikes of soft lavender-blue flowers.
Often called the "Easy Lavender," it gives you that classic blue-haze look without the fuss. It is tougher, hardier, and faster to establish than lavender, blooming in its first year from seed. It creates a relaxed, romantic feel that looks instantly established, making it a staple of the English cottage garden style.
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🌿 Understanding the Plant
Nepeta is a Hardy Perennial.
It dies back to a woody base in winter and shoots back to life in early spring.
The "Cat" Factor: Yes, cats love it! The leaves contain nepetalactone which cats find euphoric. However, this garden variety is slightly less attractive to cats than the wild Catnip (Nepeta cataria), so it usually survives their attention!
Top Tip: The "Chelsea Chop." When the first flush of flowers starts to fade in July, shear the whole plant back by half. It will look neat again within a week and produce a second flush of flowers in late summer.
🌱 Growing Guide: How to Sow and Grow
Nepeta is incredibly easy to grow from seed.
Germination:
Sow indoors from February to May, or directly outdoors in May/June. Surface sow onto moist compost and do not cover (or use a tiny dusting of vermiculite), as light helps germination. Keep warm (15-20°C). Germination takes 7-21 days.
Where to Sow:
They love full sun or very light shade. They prefer free-draining soil and are excellent for dry banks, rockeries, or gravel gardens. Unlike Lavender, they can cope with slightly heavier soil as long as it isn't waterlogged.
Care While Growing:
Once established, they are drought tolerant. If the plant gets too floppy or open in the centre, just cut it back hard—it is virtually impossible to kill by pruning!
📋 Plant Specifications
| Latin Name | Nepeta mussinii (syn. racemosa) |
| Common Name | Catmint / Persian Catmint |
| Hardiness | H7 (Very Hardy - to -20°C) |
| Light Required | Full Sun / Light Shade ⛅ |
| Height | ↕️ 30cm - 40cm (Low mound) |
| Spread | ↔️ 45cm |
| Spacing | 🌱 30cm apart |
| Great for | 🧱 Path Edging 🐝 Bee Magnet (No.1) 🌹 Underplanting Roses 🏜️ Dry Gardens |
| Seed Count | Approx. 250 seeds per packet |
🤝 Perfect Garden Companions
Nepeta is the classic "understory" plant for tall, upright flowers:
- 🌹 Shrub Roses: The Classic Pair. In every great English garden (like Sissinghurst or Kew), you will see Nepeta planted at the feet of pink or white roses. It hides the bare stems of the rose and covers the soil with a weed-suppressing blue carpet.
- 🏰 Foxgloves (Digitalis): Spikes & Mounds. The tall, vertical spikes of Foxgloves rise beautifully out of the low, frothy mound of the Nepeta. Both flower in early summer, creating a perfect cottage garden vignette.
📅 Sowing & Flowering Calendar
Sow in spring. Flowers continuously from May to September (if cut back).
| Month | J | F | M | A | M | J | J | A | S | O | N | D |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sow Indoors | 🟢 | 🟢 | 🟢 | 🟢 | ||||||||
| Flowers | 🌸 | 🌸 | 🌸 | 🌸 | 🌸 |
🏆 Officially Recognised Excellence
This plant is one of the best nectar sources in the UK. It is listed on the RHS Plants for Pollinators list and is a particular favourite of bumblebees and honeybees.
