Catmint, Catnip
Nepeta cataria

Family: Lamiaceae

What it is like

A herb which keeps growing from year to year. The leaves are hairy and grey-green. It grows 90 cm high. The leaves are oval and 5-7 cm long. The leaves have teeth or are scalloped along the edge. The flowers are white and occur in spikes. They have pale purple spots.

There are over 200-250 Nepeta species. It is used in medicine.

Where it is found

It is a temperate plant. It grows on waste ground and along roadsides. It can grow in part shade. It needs a soil pH of 5 to 7.5. It suits hardiness zones 3-10. Tasmania Herbarium. In Sichuan and Yunnan.

Countries/locations it is found in

Afghanistan, Africa, Andorra, Argentina, Asia, Australia, Canada, Caucasus, Central Asia, Cuba, Europe (country/location of origin), France, Greece, Hawaii, Himalayas, India, Italy, Japan, Korea, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Mediterranean, North America, Pakistan, Portugal, Sicily, Slovenia, South America, Spain, Tajikistan, Tasmania, Turkey, Türkiye, Ukraine, USA, West Indies

How it is used for food

The dried leaves are used to make tea. They have a lemon and mint taste. The leaves and shoots are used in flavouring and in soups and stews. They are also used in sauces. The young leaves are used in salads.

It is widely cultivated.

Edible parts

Leaves - tea, herb, roots, spice

How it is grown

It can be grown from seeds, cuttings or division of the clump. The plant is more pungent if grown in full sun and sandy soil.

Its other names

Local names

Navadna mačja meta, Nepta, Yerba gatera

Synonyms

Nepeta calaminthoides Benth.;