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Catmint
Habit (mature) · Krzysztof Ziarnek, Kenraiz / Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0
Limited coverage
Catmint
Nepeta x faassenii
A tough, aromatic garden hybrid (Nepeta racemosa x N. nepetella) that forms a low, spreading mound of scalloped gray-green leaves topped by raceme-like spikes of two-lipped lavender-blue flowers from late spring into fall. Sterile and clump-forming rather than weedy, it shrugs off heat, drought, and deer, draws bees all season, and is mildly attractive to cats — a workhorse for border fronts, edging, and dry sunny sites.
Review: Source-backed
Climate fit: moderate (52/100)
Border
Pollinator
Filler
Light
Full sun / Part shade
Water
Low water
Mature size
12-24" tall · 18" apart
Hardy in zones
3a-8b
brutally cold to frosty winters
Summer heat range
Cool-Warm
cool to warm summers Interim Plotwright tier until the plant AHS range is authored.
Native in Illinois
No
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Heat and sun protection
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Drainage and aeration
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Wildlife protection
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Transplanting and establishment
Trowels, transplant spades, starter fertilizer, root stimulators, and watering bags.
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Pruning and deadheading
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NC State Extension publishes a warmer hardiness range of USDA zones 5a-9b for this hybrid and flags it as drought tolerant once established, with the scent deterring deer — consistent with the Missouri Botanical Garden tolerance of deer, dry soil, shallow-rocky soil, and urban conditions. The two sources disagree on the exact zone endpoints (MBG 3-8 vs. NC State 5-9b); the record uses the MBG primary figure.
Climate notes
Cold hardiness
Now
Zone 6b
USDA
Chicago, IL · 1991-2020 average annual coldest day
Source: USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map 2023 (1991-2020 climatology) via ArcGIS FeatureServer
Well-suited
2050
Zone 7b
Plotwright
Your zone + climate-model shift · SSP3-7.0 (regional rivalry)
Well-suited
In plain terms: cold winters — coldest nights typically around -3°F.
Well-suited today and still thriving in 2050.
Heat tolerance
Loading current AHS heat-zone and plant heat-fit data at your coordinates…
Sources & citations
Cite this page
For lesson plans, articles, or research that uses this page. To cite a single upstream fact instead, use its specific source listed below.
Plotwright. (2026, May 17). Catmint (Nepeta x faassenii). Retrieved 2026, June 5, from https://plotwright.garden/plants/catmint
Sources for every fact
Every fact on this page traces to a source. 18 fields cited18 source-backed.
Missouri Botanical Garden PlantFinder
Botanical research database
Backs 17 fields
Identity
Summary
Plant type
Light
Moisture
Hardiness
Heat zone
Size
Spacing
Habit
Design roles
Seasonal interest
Growth stages
Lifecycle
Regional guidance
Success tips
Designer notes
Wikimedia Commons
Photo · CC BY-SA 4.0
Backs 1 field
Image
NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox
University extension service
Community photos
The photos above are our reviewed reference set, curated for accuracy.
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