Product Description
Nepeta faassenii 'Cat's Meow' PP24472 (25) Bare Root Plants
Common Name: Catmint, Catnip
Truly the “cat’s meow”! Unlike most Nepetas that have a bit of a wild, unkempt look, this first class selection keeps its tidy, dense, rounded shape all season long. Its small, grey-green, aromatic leaves are topped with well-branched stems carrying spikes of sky blue flowers with purple calyxes from early summer into early fall.
‘Cat’s Meow’ has everything today’s gardeners are looking for: a low maintenance, drought tolerant, deer resistant, long blooming perennial that looks great all season. When Nepeta's stems are broken, they release an aroma into the air that tends to attract cats, thus its common name, Catmint.
Nepetas are easy to grow perennials that provide a beautiful show of color all summer long. They prefer to be planted in full sun and ordinary, well-drained soil. Shearing the plant back in the springtime will promote more compact growth. In addition, cutting plants back by half after their first bloom tends to stimulate a second bloom cycle.
2025 Proven Winners National Landscape Perennial of the Year®
Height: 17 - 20 Inches
Spread: 24 - 36 Inches
Hardiness Zones: 3,4,5,6,7,8
Flower Color: Purple-blue shades, Blue shades
Foliage Color: Green shades
Full Sun (> 6 hrs. Direct Sun)
Low to Average Water Needs
Poor to Average Soil Quality
Bloomtime: Early Summer - Early Fall, Long Blooming
Attracts Butterflies and Hummingbirds
Bee Friendly
Deer and Rabbit Resistant
Growth Rate: Medium
Border Plant, Cut Flower, Cut Foliage, Drought Tolerant, Easy To Grow, Fragrant Flowers, Fragrant Foliage, Mass Planting
Nepeta faassenii 'Cat's Meow' is a delightful catmint cultivar that is a favorite among gardeners for its compact habit, abundant blooms, and long flowering season. It is an improvement upon 'Walker's Low' catmint, with a tidier appearance and better resistance to flopping. Here is a closer look at its charming features:
Appearance:
- Abundant Blue Flowers: 'Cat's Meow' produces a profusion of small, lavender-blue flowers on long, slender spikes. The flowers bloom from early summer to early fall, creating a continuous display of color.
- Gray-Green Foliage: The flowers are complemented by aromatic, gray-green foliage that forms a dense, mounding clump.
- Compact Habit: This cultivar typically grows to about 18-20 inches tall and 24-36 inches wide, forming a neat and tidy mound.
Growing Conditions:
- Sunlight: Thrives in full sun (at least 6 hours of direct sunlight per day). It can tolerate some light shade, but flowering may be reduced.
- Soil: Prefers well-drained soil. It is adaptable to various soil types and pH levels.
- Hardiness Zones: Suitable for USDA hardiness zones 3-8, making it a versatile choice for a wide range of climates.
Care:
- Low Maintenance: 'Cat's Meow' is a relatively low-maintenance plant.
- Watering: Water regularly after planting until established, then water only during prolonged dry periods.
- Deadheading: Deadheading spent flowers can encourage additional blooms and prevent self-seeding.
- Pruning: You can shear back the plant after flowering to promote a second flush of blooms and maintain a tidy appearance.
Uses:
- Borders: Adds a soft, billowing texture and a cool color to borders and beds.
- Containers: Its compact size makes it ideal for containers on patios and balconies.
- Rock Gardens: Its drought tolerance makes it suitable for rock gardens.
- Mass Plantings: Creates a beautiful and calming effect when planted in groups.
- Edging: Can be used as an edging plant along walkways or paths.
Additional Information:
- Attracts Pollinators: The flowers attract butterflies, bees, and other pollinators.
- Deer and Rabbit Resistant: Deer and rabbits tend to avoid Nepeta.
- Fragrant: Both the flowers and foliage have a pleasant, minty fragrance.
- Long Blooming: 'Cat's Meow' is known for its long blooming period, providing continuous color throughout the summer and into fall.
If you are looking for a low-maintenance and long-blooming perennial with beautiful blue flowers and a compact habit, Nepeta faassenii 'Cat's Meow' is an excellent choice. It is a versatile plant that can be used in various garden settings and will add a touch of charm and fragrance to your landscape.
Other Details
The most important part of the plant is its root system. Healthy roots are the foundation of a healthy, vibrant plant. The type of plug container used is based on the specific needs of the plants. Perennials offered as bare root traditionally perform better when planted as bare root.Planted in a specialized mix, potted plants have well established root systems. Top growth stage will vary depending on the current life cycle and time of year when shipped. In Winter and early Spring dormant plants may be shipped. Dormant plants may be planted right away, even before the last frost date.
Most bare root varieties are field grown for at least one season, though Hemerocallis and Hosta are grown for two seasons. The bulk of the soil is removed during the harvesting process and the tops of most varieties are trimmed back to the crown. They are graded, packed in shredded aspen or sphagnum moss and stored in freezers until ready to be shipped.
See our Container Sizes and Bare Root Perennials pages for more information.
Plant information and care is provided in the Overview section, Plant Genus Page and general information is provided in the Planting Care & Guides. Additional questions can be asked on each Plant page.
Plant Spacing: Using the maximum mature spread or width of a plant to guide spacing, ensures space to grow to full size. To fill an area sooner, plant them closer together. Just remember, future thinning or transplanting may be needed.
Water: Keep a close eye on newly planted perennials, especially throughout the first growing year. Most early plant loss is due to too much or too little water!
