Aug 28, 2013


by Ankaret Dean, Lanark County Master Gardeners


 

Both names are correct for this plant, which cats adore, and my column is for gardeners who want to give their cats a treat.

This interesting plant is a type of herb belonging to the Nepata family. It grows 50-100 cm. tall, is a perennial and is similar to a mint plant, also having a square stem. The leaves are grey-green and the flowers are white and spotted with purple. It was brought to North America in the 1700s, and since that time, it has spread across the continent. Cat-mint was very happy this summer as it thrives in hot dry sunny weather, and is hardy in our cold winters.

Cat-nip has been used for centuries as a medicinal herb, but it is also known for the special effect it has on cats, giving them a sort of “high”. They love it, and are attracted to the smell. They will paw the leaves, lick them and chew them to release the oil. They will also play with the leaves and roll in them if possible. Interestingly, not all cats are attracted to cat-nip.

As it is the oil in the leaves that is so attractive to cats, the leaves can be gathered in the summer and dried, and then used inside toys for your cat. Some manufactures sell cat toys containing cat-nip.

As well as attracting cats, the leaves can be used for making a herbal tea which is considered calming, and some believe that it has anti-biotic qualities. In earlier times, however, the root when boiled was considered to make people mean, and was given to the hangman or executioner before he performed his deadly deed.

Cat-nip can be found in nurseries or grown from seed. Once you have it in your garden it will spread but I haven’t found it invasive. One word of warning however; it may attract the neighbouring cats to your garden, and that is not always a good idea if you have bird feeders. Just grow your cat-nip in a different section of the garden and give the cats a real treat.

Your gardening questions can be submitted and answered on our website at www.lanarkmastergardeners.mgoi.ca.

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