Plant of the Month—Nepeta faassenii: A Minty Perennial

Nepeta faassenii— A Minty Perennial

By Emily McHale Pike

Nepeta faassenii.

I’m going to introduce, or more accurately, reintroduce one of my favorite perennials. If you’re looking to pack a punch of color that lasts all summer, Nepeta faassenii is your plant.

This minty-scented perennial is part of the Lamiaceae family and has about 250 species! It’s native to Europe, Asia, and Africa but has naturalized in North America. Most of us may commonly know this perennial as Catmint. It got its name because of the euphoric effect it has on house cats.

It’s quite versatile since it is hardy in zones 3, 4,5,6,7 and 8! Nepeta likes the full sun and does not like to stay too wet. Average heights are between 15 and 17 inches. The flowers are a perfectly dusty purple blue with foliage that is a silvery green. You can find butterflies, bees, and sometimes hummingbirds flocking to it. The best part about this long-blooming perennial is that it is deer and rabbit resistant. We can attribute that to its fantastic smell! Nepeta is fairly low maintenance as well. As with other perennials, it needs to be cut back in late fall or winter, but it does respond well to a light shearing after the first bloom to promote even more blooms!

My personal favorite variety is ‘Walkers Low’. It is the perfect border perennial and will even thrive in rock gardens. It grows about 2 feet by 2 feet and is one of the lower growing varieties. It’s a great combination plant with Echinacea, Shasta Daisy, and Monarda to create a colorful pollinator garden.

Next time you’re looking for a show-stopping perennial, Nepeta faassenii is your plant.

SUGARTINA® ‘CRYSTALINA’

Clethra ainfolia

Sugartina ‘Crystalina’ summersweet tolerates shade, soggy soil, and salty air. Combine that with a dwarf habit, fragrant, white summer flowers and colorful fall foliage and you’ll agree this easy going shrub is an ideal landscaping choice.

• Dwarf • Native species • Adaptable

5' SUGARTINA® ‘Crystalina’ Clethra alnifolia ‘Crystalina’ USPP 21,561; CBR 4160 USDA Zone 4-9, full to part sun 2.5'-3' tall and wide Available from these suppliers:

Bennett’s Creek Nursery Smithfield, VA • 757-483-1425 David’s Nursery Exmore, VA • 757-442-7000 Homestead Gardens Davidsonville, MD • 443-607-1919 Hope Grange Nursery Bridgeton, NJ • 856-491-5204 Piedmont Carolina Nursery Colfax, NC • 336-993-4114 Shreckhise Nurseries Grottoes, VA • 540-249-5761 Spring Run Farm Coatesville, PA • 610-380-1402 The Ivy Farm Locustville, VA • 757-787-4096