NEPETA. Catnip, catmint. Widespread in Europe and temperate Asia. These are pleasant, sometimes quite showy perennials of the mint family, varying considerably in habit and texture. Most are closely branched, with paired, toothed, aromatic leaves. Along with some of the teucriums, these are the plants which seem to give cats a psychedelic experience. They will rub, roll on, and often destroy the plants above-ground (fortunately, nepetas have considerable powers of rejuvenation from their underground rhizomes). Small mint-like blossoms are borne, sometimes in great profusion, in summer and fall. Their colors vary from white to violet, with an occasional pink. These are cheery plants for sunny borders and banks, requiring very little care, beyond shearing off spent flower clusters to promote further waves of blooming. Reasonably well drained soils, moderate to occasional watering. The following are hardy to 0^oF or less.

x faassenii. A softly textured plant, making mounds up to 2’ high and 3-5’ broad. Both stems and leaves are greyish green, making a perfect foil for masses of softly colored flowers, lavender in the most common, unnamed form. ‘Six Hills Giant’ is a robust selection, growing at least 2’ tall, with bright lavender flowers. ‘Blue Wonder’ is much lower and has deep lavender, nearly violet flowers. ‘Alba’ is a white flowered selection.

mussinii. One of the parents of x faassenii, above, this is a prostrate plant with broader leaves. Flowers in our material are as dark as those of ‘Blue Wonder’, above.

nervosa ‘Blue Carpet’. Quite distinct from the preceding species, N. nervosa is a bushy plant growing 1-2’ tall. Plants of this seed strain have narrow, bright green leaves, instead of the greyish green typical for this species. Small violet flowers are massed on short stalks in late summer and fall. The plant dies down entirely in winter.

subsessilis. It is difficult to accept this as a sister species to other nepetas, but so it is. It is a clumping perennial with erect stems, rising 12-18". Set along them are pairs of large, dark green leaves. Dense clusters of bright bluish purple blossoms rise above the shoot tips in summer. This one clearly neads more water than the others and is useful in narrower borders.