The Ultimate Guide to Growing Catmint
By Richard "Woodie" Buller, GGD co-founder with 35+ years in horticulture
Published On: Nov 2, 2026
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Catmint is one of those perennials that makes a garden look better without asking for much in return. Its soft gray-green foliage creates a relaxed, billowing shape, while lavender-blue flower spikes bring weeks of color to sunny borders, walkways, cottage gardens, and pollinator plantings.
Botanically known as Nepeta, catmint is valued for much more than its flowers. It tolerates heat, handles dry conditions once established, attracts bees and other pollinators, and is generally avoided by deer and rabbits. It also combines beautifully with roses, salvia, coneflowers, yarrow, lavender, ornamental grasses, and many other sun-loving plants.
The secret to growing healthy, long-blooming catmint is surprisingly simple: give it plenty of sunlight, excellent drainage, and one good haircut after its first flush of flowers. Get those fundamentals right, and Nepeta can become one of the most dependable perennials in your landscape.
| In this Article | |||
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Catmint Growing Quick Guide
| Growing Requirement | Catmint Care Recommendation |
|---|---|
| Botanical name | Nepeta |
| Plant type | Herbaceous perennial |
| Sun exposure | Full sun; light afternoon shade in very hot climates |
| Soil | Average to lean, well-drained soil |
| Water | Consistent moisture during establishment; drought-tolerant once established |
| Bloom season | Late spring through summer, with rebloom possible |
| Flower color | Usually lavender-blue, violet-blue, or purple |
| Typical hardiness | USDA zones 3 to 8, depending on the variety |
| Fertilizer | Usually, little to none needed |
| Pruning | Shear after the first bloom to encourage reblooming |
| Deer resistance | Generally deer-resistant, but not deer-proof |
| Pollinator value | Attracts bees, butterflies, and other beneficial insects |
| Landscape uses | Borders, edging, mass plantings, containers, slopes, rose gardens, and pollinator gardens |
What Is Catmint?
Catmint is the common name used for ornamental perennial plants in the genus Nepeta, a member of the mint family. Most garden catmints form spreading or mounded clumps of aromatic foliage topped with spikes of small flowers.
The foliage may look delicate, but Nepeta is a remarkably durable plant. Established catmint handles heat and occasional drought, grows in average soil, and rarely suffers from serious pest or disease problems. Its long flowering season and easygoing nature have made it a favorite for both traditional and modern landscapes.
Catmint works especially well as a softening plant. Place it along a hard walkway, at the front of a perennial border, beneath roses, or around plants with bold upright forms. Its loose foliage and airy flowers help connect the individual plants into a more finished-looking garden.
Is Catmint the Same as Catnip?
Catmint and catnip belong to the same genus, Nepeta, but they are not necessarily the same garden plant.
Catnip generally refers to Nepeta cataria, an herbaceous plant grown primarily for its effects on cats. It tends to have a looser, weedier appearance and can reseed more freely than many ornamental catmints.
Ornamental catmint usually refers to species, hybrids, and cultivars selected for better flowers, neater growth, longer bloom, and improved garden performance. Popular varieties such as Walker's Low Catmint, Junior Walker Catmint, Purrsian Blue Catmint, and Cat's Pajamas Nepeta are grown primarily for their landscape value.
Cats may investigate ornamental Nepeta, but many ornamental varieties are less attractive to cats than true catnip. Individual cats can still respond differently, so occasional rolling or nibbling is possible.
How Much Sun Does Catmint Need?
Catmint grows and flowers best in full sun, which generally means at least six hours of direct sunlight each day. Good sunlight encourages more flowers, stronger stems, denser growth, and a neater overall shape.
Nepeta can tolerate light shade, particularly in warm southern climates where some protection from intense afternoon sun may be helpful. Too much shade, however, can cause the plant to stretch, produce fewer flowers, and develop an open or floppy habit.
If your catmint is leaning toward the sunlight or falling open in the middle, it may be due to insufficient light. Heavy fertilization and consistently wet soil can also contribute to weak, floppy growth.
What Is the Best Soil for Growing Nepeta?
Catmint grows well in average garden soil as long as excess water can drain away from the roots. It can tolerate clay, loam, sandy soil, and even shallow or rocky sites when drainage is adequate.
The important phrase is well-drained soil.
Nepeta handles dry soil far better than constantly wet soil. A location that remains soggy after rainfall can lead to yellow foliage, weak growth, crown rot, or winter loss. This is particularly important in areas with heavy clay or wet winters.
Before planting catmint, observe how quickly the site drains after a substantial rain. If water remains standing or the soil stays saturated for long periods, improve the broader planting area or choose a better-drained location. Avoid creating a small pocket of heavily amended soil that collects water around the roots.
Raised beds, slopes, berms, and gardens with naturally well-drained soil are excellent places to grow catmint.
When Is the Best Time to Plant Catmint?
Spring and fall are generally the best times to plant catmint. The moderate temperatures during these seasons reduce stress and allow Nepeta roots to begin establishing before periods of extreme heat or cold.
Spring planting gives the plant a full growing season to develop a strong root system. Fall planting can also be very successful because the soil remains warm even as air temperatures begin to cool. In colder regions, plant early enough in fall to allow the roots to establish before the ground freezes.
Container-grown catmint can be planted during summer, but it will require closer attention to watering. A newly planted Nepeta does not yet have the extensive root system that makes an established plant drought-tolerant.
How to Plant Catmint
Choose a location with full sun and well-draining soil. Before digging, check the variety's mature width so you can give the plant enough room to develop its natural shape.
Dig a hole approximately twice as wide as the root ball but no deeper than the container. A wide planting hole makes it easier for new roots to move into the surrounding soil, while an unnecessarily deep hole can cause the plant to settle below grade.
Carefully remove the catmint from its nursery pot and inspect the root ball. Loosen tightly circling roots so they are encouraged to grow outward. Position the plant so the top of its root ball and crown sit level with the surrounding soil.
Backfill around the roots with the soil removed from the hole, gently firming it without packing it tightly. Water thoroughly to settle the soil around the root system.
A light layer of mulch can help conserve moisture and reduce weeds during establishment, but keep the mulch away from the plant's crown. Catmint does not appreciate having its base buried beneath a thick, wet layer of mulch.
How Far Apart Should You Plant Catmint?
Catmint spacing depends on the variety's mature size and the effect you want to create. Compact varieties can be planted closer together, while large, spreading varieties need considerably more room.
As a general starting point, many catmint varieties can be spaced approximately 18 to 30 inches apart. Always check the expected mature spread of the specific Nepeta cultivar before planting.
Closer spacing creates a continuous ribbon of foliage and flowers more quickly, making it useful for mass plantings and border edges. Wider spacing allows each plant to develop as an individual mound and improves airflow in humid climates.
Avoid crowding vigorous varieties directly against sidewalks and lawn edges unless you want them to spill into those areas. A young catmint may look small at planting time, but established varieties can spread considerably during the growing season.
How to Water Newly Planted Catmint
Water Nepeta thoroughly immediately after planting, ensuring the entire root ball is moist. During establishment, check the soil regularly and water whenever the upper few inches begin to dry.
The goal is to keep the root zone evenly moist without leaving it saturated. A quick surface spray is rarely enough. Water slowly and deeply so moisture reaches the bottom of the root ball and encourages roots to grow into the surrounding soil.
Weather, soil type, plant size, and season all influence how frequently catmint needs water. Sandy soil may dry quickly, while heavy clay retains moisture much longer. Hot, windy weather will also increase water loss.
Once established, catmint becomes quite drought-tolerant. Even then, an occasional deep watering during an extended dry spell can keep the foliage and flowers looking better. Constant irrigation is unnecessary and may encourage floppy growth or root problems.
Should You Fertilize Catmint?
Catmint generally performs best in average to lean soil and rarely needs heavy fertilization. In fact, too much fertilizer can create rapid, soft growth that falls open under the weight of the flowers.
If your soil is reasonably healthy, a light application of compost may provide all the nutrition Nepeta needs. If poor growth suggests a nutrient problem, use a soil test before adding fertilizer.
Avoid applying a high-nitrogen fertilizer simply to make the plant grow faster. More foliage does not necessarily mean more flowers, and overly vigorous catmint is often more difficult to keep upright.
How to Prune Catmint for More Flowers
Pruning is the most important maintenance task for keeping catmint attractive and encouraging another round of flowers.
After the first major flush of blooms begins to fade, shear the plant back by approximately one-third to one-half. Remove the faded flower stems and reduce the outer foliage enough to restore a rounded, compact shape.
The plant may look sparse immediately after pruning, but fresh foliage should soon emerge from the center. Many Nepeta varieties will produce another wave of flowers later in the season.
Do not worry about cutting every stem individually. For an established clump, hand shears make quick work of the entire plant. Water after pruning if the weather is dry, then give the plant time to regrow.
This midseason haircut also helps correct catmint that has become floppy, open, or untidy. Waiting until every flower has disappeared is not necessary. Prune when the first display has clearly passed its peak.
Should Catmint Be Cut Back in Fall or Spring?
Catmint naturally dies back after frost and returns from its roots in spring. The old stems can be removed in late fall or left standing and cleaned up before new growth begins.
In colder areas, leaving some foliage in place through winter may provide modest protection for the plant's crown. The stems can also help catch leaves and snow around the base. In humid locations or gardens with poor airflow, removing collapsed foliage can help keep the crown cleaner.
Whichever approach you choose, cut back the old growth before fresh spring shoots grow tall enough to make cleanup difficult. Take care not to damage the new growth emerging around the crown.
How to Keep Catmint Blooming
For the longest catmint bloom season, provide full sun, avoid overfertilizing, and shear the plant after its first large flush of flowers.
Consistent moisture during establishment also matters. Although Nepeta is drought-tolerant once established, severe drought can shorten its bloom period and make the foliage look tired. Deep, occasional watering is more useful than frequent shallow watering.
Some newer catmint varieties naturally flower for an extended period and may require less deadheading. Even so, trimming tired flowers and leggy stems can refresh the plant and improve its shape.
Does Catmint Spread?
Most ornamental catmint grows outward by forming a gradually expanding clump. The speed and width of that growth depend on the variety.
Sterile hybrid catmints, including many popular forms of Nepeta × faassenii, generally do not spread aggressively through seed. They can still become broad plants, but they are much easier to manage than running groundcovers or common catnip that reseeds freely.
If an established clump grows beyond its intended space, trim the outer stems or divide the plant. Choosing a compact variety from the beginning is the easiest solution for small beds, containers, and narrow walkway borders.
How and When to Divide Catmint
Catmint can be divided in the spring when fresh growth begins. Division is useful for producing additional plants, controlling the size of a mature clump, or rejuvenating one that has developed a thin or woody center.
Dig up the clump and separate it into sections, making sure each division has healthy roots and several growing points. Replant the divisions at their original depth and water them thoroughly.
Catmint does not have to be divided every year. Leave a healthy, well-shaped plant alone until its size, reduced flowering, or declining center gives you a reason to divide it.
Can Catmint Grow in Containers?
Compact catmint varieties can grow very well in containers. Their soft foliage and abundant flowers spill attractively over the edges of pots, making Nepeta a good companion for upright perennials, ornamental grasses, compact shrubs, and patio roses.
Choose a container with drainage holes and use a well-draining potting mix rather than garden soil. Place the pot where it receives at least six hours of sunlight for the best flowering and strongest growth.
Container-grown catmint will need water more frequently than plants growing in the ground because the roots are limited to the soil inside the pot. Water thoroughly when the upper portion of the potting mix begins to dry, allowing excess water to drain freely.
In cold climates, the roots of container plants are more exposed to freezing temperatures. Move the pot to a protected location, insulate the container, or plant the Nepeta in the ground before winter if the variety is only marginally hardy in your region.
Is Catmint Deer Resistant?
The aromatic foliage of Nepeta makes catmint less appealing to deer and rabbits than many other flowering perennials. That makes it a useful choice for sunny landscapes where browsing is an ongoing concern.
However, deer resistance is never an absolute guarantee. Hungry deer may sample almost any plant, especially when food is limited or a new plant is tender and freshly installed.
Catmint is most useful as part of a broader deer-aware landscape that combines several aromatic, textured, or less palatable plants. Lavender, salvia, yarrow, ornamental grasses, allium, and Russian sage are natural companions.
Does Catmint Attract Pollinators?
Catmint's flower spikes attract bees, butterflies, and other beneficial insects. A mature plant can remain busy with pollinator activity throughout its bloom period.
Its long flowering season makes Nepeta particularly valuable because it provides nectar for an extended period. Shearing the plant after its first bloom can encourage another round of flowers and extend that food source.
Planting several catmints together creates a larger, more visible target for pollinators. You can also combine Nepeta with plants that bloom earlier or later to provide a more continuous sequence of flowers.
Best Catmint Varieties for the Landscape
Different Nepeta varieties can vary widely in size and habit, so choosing the right one is important.
Walker's Low Catmint is a classic, vigorous variety with a wide, billowing habit and masses of lavender-blue flowers. Despite the word "Low" in its name, it is not necessarily a dwarf plant. The name refers to a location, not its mature height. Give it room to spread along borders, slopes, and larger garden beds.
Junior Walker Catmint provides much of the flowing appearance of Walker's Low in a more compact package. It is useful near walkways, in smaller gardens, and wherever a full-size catmint would occupy too much space.
Purrsian Blue Catmint develops a relatively compact, rounded mound covered with blue-purple flowers. It's a controlled habit that works well in repeating borders, foundation beds, containers, and smaller perennial gardens.
Cat's Pajamas Nepeta is a compact variety that flowers along much of the stem rather than only near the tips. It is especially useful for edging, mass planting, containers, and the front of sunny garden beds.
Always base spacing on the mature dimensions of the particular variety rather than assuming every catmint grows the same way.
What to Plant with Catmint
Catmint is one of the best perennial companion plants because its soft shape and cool flower color work with so many garden styles.
Roses are classic catmint companions. Nepeta covers the open ground around the base of the roses, softens bare stems, and provides a cloud of blue-purple flowers that complements almost any rose color.
For a sunny pollinator garden, combine catmint with coneflowers, black-eyed Susans, agastache, yarrow, coreopsis, allium, and salvia. Ornamental grasses add upright structure and movement, while sedum and asters can extend the garden's interest into fall.
Catmint also looks wonderful beside a stone. Plant it along walkways, retaining walls, patios, gravel gardens, and rock gardens, where the foliage can soften hard edges without completely obscuring them.
Common Catmint Problems and What They Mean
| Symptom | Likely Cause | What to Do |
|---|---|---|
| Few flowers | Too much shade or excess fertilizer | Increase sunlight if possible and reduce feeding |
| The plant falls open in the center | Too much shade, rich soil, excess water, or mature growth | Shear after flowering and divide aging clumps if needed |
| Yellow foliage | Wet soil, poor drainage, or excessive watering | Allow the soil to drain and reduce irrigation |
| Brown, crispy foliage | Severe drought or root ball drying during establishment | Water deeply and monitor the root zone |
| No second bloom | First, the flowers were not removed, or the plant is drought-stressed | Shear by one-third to one-half and water if the soil is dry |
| Powdery coating on leaves | Powdery mildew is encouraged by crowding and poor airflow | Improve spacing, avoid overhead watering, and remove affected debris |
| The plant fails to return after winter | Wet winter soil, crown rot, marginal hardiness, or winter injury | Improve drainage and confirm the variety suits your growing zone |
| The plant grows into the walkway | Variety is too large for the location | Trim after bloom, divide the clump, or replace it with a compact Nepeta |
Frequently Asked Questions About Growing Catmint
Is catmint easy to grow?
Catmint is one of the easiest flowering perennials to grow when planted in full sun and well-drained soil. Once established, Nepeta tolerates heat and dry conditions and generally experiences few serious pest or disease problems.
Does catmint come back every year?
Yes. Catmint is an herbaceous perennial that dies back during winter and returns from its roots in spring. Confirm that the particular Nepeta variety is hardy in your USDA growing zone.
How long does catmint bloom?
Bloom time depends on the variety and climate, but many catmints begin flowering in late spring or early summer. Shearing the plant after its first bloom can encourage additional flowers later in the growing season.
Why is my catmint floppy?
Catmint may become floppy when it receives too little sunlight, too much fertilizer, excessive water, or unusually rich soil. Large varieties can also develop a naturally loose, spreading habit. Shearing the plant after flowering encourages denser new growth.
Can catmint grow in partial shade?
Nepeta can tolerate light partial shade, particularly in hot climates. However, plants generally produce more flowers and maintain a stronger, more compact habit when they receive at least six hours of direct sunlight.
Is catmint drought-tolerant?
Established catmint is drought-tolerant, but newly planted Nepeta requires consistent watering while its roots grow into the surrounding soil. Even established plants may benefit from deep watering during prolonged heat and drought.
Should I deadhead catmint?
Individual flowers do not need to be removed one at a time. Once the first major bloom begins to fade, shear the entire plant back by approximately one-third to one-half to encourage fresh foliage and another wave of flowers.
Does catmint need fertilizer?
Catmint usually needs little or no supplemental fertilizer in average garden soil. Excess fertilizer can produce weak, floppy growth and may reduce flowering.
Is Nepeta invasive?
Most ornamental hybrid catmints form expanding clumps but are not considered aggressive runners. Many popular Nepeta × faassenii cultivars are sterile and do not spread freely by seed. True catnip, Nepeta cataria, can reseed more readily.
Can catmint grow beside roses?
Catmint is one of the best companion plants for roses. Its spreading foliage covers the ground around rose stems, while its lavender-blue flowers complement pink, red, yellow, peach, and white roses.
Woodie's Take: Give Catmint Sun, Drainage, and a Good Haircut
Catmint is a good reminder that a dependable plant does not have to be boring. Nepeta gives us soft foliage, months of color, pollinator activity, fragrance, and a natural shape that makes the surrounding garden feel more complete.
Most catmint problems come from giving the plant too much attention rather than too little. Too much fertilizer makes it floppy. Too much water causes root trouble. Too much shade reduces flowering. Put it in the sun, give it well-draining soil, and let the plant do what it knows how to do.
Then, when that first show of flowers begins to fade, cut it back. That one simple job can turn a tired midsummer plant into a fresh mound of foliage and flowers.
Plant the right Nepeta in the right space, and you will have one of those rare perennials that looks beautiful, helps the pollinators, handles difficult weather, and never makes gardening feel harder than it needs to be.