Plant Profile: Catmint (Nepeta x fassenii ‘Walkers Low’)

Picture a medium sized mound of lavender-blue flowers with silver-gray foliage in front of your favorite pink rose bush and you are probably seeing ‘Walker’s Low ‘ catmint.  Beloved by bees and butterflies, the loosely packed flowers are borne on arching stems with aromatic, intricately veined leaves, adding a wispy, nostalgic aura to the scene. If grown in a cool climate and it will bloom from late spring into fall if sheared after the first bloom. Although related to catnip, it is not attractive to cats or deer and has no serious pest or disease problems. No wonder it was the Perennial of the Year for 2007!

Type: Herbaceous perennial.

Bloom: Lavender-blue, 1-2” long, trumpet-shaped flowers in late spring to early summer. May bloom to fall in cool climates if sheared back.

Size: 1-2’ H x 1.5 to 3’ W.

Light: Full sun to part shade.

Soil: Average, dry to medium well-drained soil; very drought tolerant.

Hardiness: Zones 4-7.

Care: Low maintenance; shear ½ to 2/3 when blooms fade to encourage rebloom.

Pests and Diseases: None of significance; susceptible to black root rot, wilt, powdery mildew; attractive to leaf hoppers.

Propagation: Division in spring; terminal cuttings in summer; seeds are sterile.

Companion plants: Works well with roses by covering their gangly legs; beebalm, shasta daisies, foxgloves, German iris, peonies, and blue-green grasses.

Comments: Does not tolerate heat and humidity well.