Product Field NotesCompanion Plants
Cat's Meow Catmint: A Tidy Blue Mound That Will Not Flop
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Cat's Meow catmint solves the one complaint people have about catmint: it does not flop open in the middle. This seedling of Walker's Low was selected for a lower, rounded, tidier habit with larger flowers, and it keeps its shape from June into September.
Sky-blue flowers sit in smoky-purple calyxes above small, fragrant, gray-green leaves, and the whole mound turns into a soft blue haze at peak. Next to lavender, that haze is about as good as companion planting gets.
Cat's Meow at a glance
| Trait | What to expect |
|---|---|
| Botanical name | Nepeta × faassenii 'Cat's Meow' |
| Flowers | Sky blue in smoky-purple calyxes |
| Foliage | Small, gray-green, scalloped; strong minty-herbal scent when brushed |
| Size | 17 to 20 inches tall, 24 to 36 inches wide |
| Bloom | Starts early June, peaks mid-June, continues into September with a trim |
| Hardiness | USDA zones 3 to 8 |
| Light | Full sun |
| Wildlife | Excellent for pollinators; deer and rabbits leave it alone |
Lavender's best friend in the border
Catmint and lavender want the same things: sun, lean soil and not much water. They look related, with gray-green leaves and blue-purple flowers, yet the textures differ enough to keep things interesting. Lavender holds its flowers up in tight wands; Cat's Meow lays a looser, cloudlike blue across a wide mound.
Its timing helps too. Cat's Meow blooms alongside lavender and keeps going after the lavender is harvested, so the bed stays blue into late summer. At up to three feet wide, it fills the front to middle of a sunny border. Try alternating it with lavender along a walk, or use it to soften the edges of a lavender bed. The Companion Plant Planner shows how many plants you need.
Planting and care
- Spacing: give it room to reach its full width so air moves between it and the lavender.
- Soil: lean to average and well-drained. Rich or wet soil leads to sprawl and root rot.
- Water: regular the first season, then only in long dry spells.
- Shearing: trim by about a third after the first flush to tidy the mound and push a fresh round of flowers.
- Winter: very hardy in Michigan with good drainage. Leave the stems standing and cut them back in early spring when new growth shows.
Cats, bees and visitors
Bees and butterflies work the flowers constantly. Cats may enjoy rolling in it too, so if the neighborhood cat starts a fan club, now you know why. The brushed leaves give off a pungent, minty-herbal scent. It is an ornamental catmint, not a plant to eat.
Plug tray or bare root
Cat's Meow comes as a 72-cell plug tray for growers and mass plantings, and as a bare root plant for home gardens. See each product page for current availability, or visit the Wholesale Hub.
Frequently asked questions
How is Cat's Meow different from Walker's Low?
It is a seedling of Walker's Low, chosen for a lower, more compact, rounded habit, larger flowers and a long season.
Is this the same as catnip?
No. Catnip is Nepeta cataria, a taller, white-flowered plant. Cat's Meow is an ornamental catmint grown for its blue flowers.
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