Raceme catnip

Raceme catnip Care

Nepeta racemosa

What is the plant

Nepeta racemosa, the dwarf catnip or raceme catnip, is a species of flowering plant in the mint family Lamiaceae. Growing to 30 cm tall by 45 cm wide, it is a herbaceous perennial with aromatic leaves and violet or lilac-blue flowers in summer.

Nepeta racemosa, commonly called catmint, is Native to the Caucusus and northern Iran. It is a low-growing perennial that typically forms a spreading clump of decumbent, ascending and upright stems to 12” tall and 18” wide. Features gray-green, hairy, ovate leaves (to 1” long) with crenate margins, prominent veining and heart-shaped bases. Leaves are highly aromatic when crushed or bruised. Pale lilac to deep violet two-lipped flowers (1/ 2” long) clustered in loose raceme-like verticillasters (false whorls) bloom in spring. Bloom may continue throughout summer into early fall under proper growing conditions and with proper shearing of spent flowers. Although Nepeta cataria is the true catnip which drives house cats ecstatic, the leaves of this species are also attractive, albeit somewhat less enticing, to cats.

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Lighting

Part Sun

Hardiness zone

4a - 9b

Difficulty

Easy

How to Care for the Plant

Water
Water young plants twice a week for the first two weeks, reduce watering to every other week after plants become well established. the plant is drought tolerant and can resist heat as it grows older. during the dry catnip season and high temperatures, increase watering to once a week or even more if needed.
Pruning
Trim out dead and damaged leaves any time, pinching off or cutting off each of those leaves at its base. Avoid cutting into a plant's main stems or its crown, which is where its leaves and roots meet.
Fertilizer
Use a fertilizer formulated specifically for your plant. Avoid over-fertilizing and follow the instruction on the label.

Disease diagnosis

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Sunlight
If your plant is not getting enough light, the most common sign is the yellowing and dropping of leaves, stunted leaf growth, elongated stems, and a dull-green color. If your plant is getting too much light, then its leaves will have singed tips, burned patches, or will be falling off (yikes!).
Soil
Planting instructions will suggest planting in a sterile potting mix.
Temperature
Outdoors, this plant can be grown in the areas with the lowest winter temperatures of −34.4°C (−30°F).

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Container
Here’s a handy guideline: increase pot size by 2.5-5 cm (1 to 2 inches) in diameter for plants that are growing in pots 25.4 cm (10 inches) in diameter or less. For larger plants, those growing in pots greater than 10 inches in diameter, increase the pot size by 5 or 7.62 cm (2 or 3 inches) in diameter.
Popularity
1,616 people already have this plant 372 people have added this plant to their wishlists