Nepeta × faassenii
Catmint
Garden origin; parent species from the Caucasus, northern Iran, and the western Mediterranean
Overview
Nepeta × faassenii is a herbaceous perennial forming a loose mound 12-18 inches (30-45 cm) tall and 18-24 inches (45-60 cm) wide from a woody crown. Leaves are opposite, ovate to oblong, 0.5-1.5 inches (1.2-4 cm) long, grey-green, scalloped along the margin, and covered in short hairs that release a minty scent when bruised. Lavender-blue two-lipped flowers 0.5 inch (1.2 cm) long open in whorls along spikes 4-8 inches (10-20 cm) long from late May, with a second flush in August and September after shearing. The plant is a sterile hybrid of N. racemosa and N. nepetella and sets no viable seed, so it does not self-sow, unlike N. cataria. Stems fall open from the centre after the first flush and expose the bare crown, and plants in soil with high organic matter or under less than 6 hours of sun collapse flat by July. Named forms range from 12 inches (30 cm) in N. × faassenii 'Kit Kat' to 30-36 inches (75-90 cm) in N. × faassenii 'Six Hills Giant'. Foliage dies back to the crown after frost and regrows in April. Plants persist 5-8 years in free-draining ground and 2-3 years where soil stays wet through winter.
Native Range
Nepeta × faassenii is of garden origin, first raised in the Netherlands in the 1930s from a cross between N. racemosa and N. nepetella. It has no wild distribution and does not naturalise, since the hybrid is sterile. The parent species grow on dry rocky slopes and open grassland in the Caucasus, northern Iran, and the western Mediterranean.Suggested Uses
Planted along path edges, at the front of borders, and in gravel gardens at 18-24 inch (45-60 cm) spacing, where stems spill over hard edges. Used in rose underplanting at 24 inch (60 cm) spacing and in pollinator plantings, where flowers carry bees from May through September. Container culture uses pots of 3 gallons (11 L) or larger in a gritty mix, and the spreading habit means plants overhang the rim by 6-12 inches (15-30 cm).How to Identify
Appearance
Size & Dimensions
Height1' - 1'6"
Width/Spread1'6" - 2'
Reaches mature size in approximately 2 years
Bloom Information
Flowering opens in late May in zones 5-8 and in mid-May in zones 8-9, running 5-6 weeks in the first flush. Shearing the plant by half as flowers fade in late June brings a second flush within 2-3 weeks that runs through August and into September. Left unsheared, plants carry scattered flowers until frost but with 60-70% fewer spikes. Total flowering covers 16-20 weeks across both flushes.
Detailed Descriptions
Foliage Description
grey-greenGrowing Conditions
Sun Requirements
Requires 6-12 hours of direct sunlight daily
• Full Sun: 6+ hours of direct sunlight
• Partial Shade: 3-6 hours of direct sunlight
• Full Shade: Less than 3 hours of direct sunlight
Care & Maintenance
Care Guide
Plants take 1 inch (25 mm) of water weekly through the first season and go 4-6 weeks without rain once established, holding grey-green foliage without wilting. Nitrogen fertiliser and soil rich in organic matter produce soft stems that fall open and expose the crown, and plants grow on lean, free-draining ground with no feeding. Winter wet on heavy soil rots the crown, and plants on clay are set on a raised mound 3-4 inches (8-10 cm) above grade with grit worked into the planting hole. Crowns survive -35F (-37C) in zone 3 with the top growth killed to the ground. Cats roll on and crush the stems of plants carrying nepetalactone, and young plants are commonly flattened in the first season. Clumps are divided every 3-4 years in spring once the centre goes bare and flower spikes shorten.Pruning
The whole plant is sheared back by half in late June as the first flush fades, which removes the spent spikes and prompts a second flush within 2-3 weeks. Dead top growth is cut to 2-3 inches (5-8 cm) above the crown in March before new shoots emerge, and stems left standing over winter shelter the crown from wet. Plants that fall open by midsummer are cut back by two thirds and regrow to 10-12 inches (25-30 cm) with fresh flowers in 3-4 weeks.Pruning Schedule
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
early springsummer
Container Growing
✓ Suitable for container growing
Minimum container size: 3 gallons