Product Field NotesCompanion Plants
Chartreuse on the Loose Catmint: Glowing Leaves at Lavender's Feet
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Chartreuse on the Loose catmint breaks the catmint mold. Instead of the usual gray-green, its leaves are a bright chartreuse-yellow that stands out from across the garden, topped with small clusters of lilac-blue flowers. It stays low, just 8 to 10 inches tall, and spreads to about two feet.
It also keeps flowering all summer without being sheared, which is a nice change for a catmint. Against lavender's silver leaves and purple wands, it is a ready-made color scheme.
Chartreuse on the Loose at a glance
| Trait | What to expect |
|---|---|
| Botanical name | Nepeta 'Chartreuse on the Loose' |
| Foliage | Bright chartreuse-yellow, heart-shaped and fragrant |
| Flowers | Lilac to lavender-blue with rosy-purple calyxes |
| Size | 8 to 10 inches tall, 20 to 24 inches wide |
| Bloom | Starts early June, peaks late June, continues to frost |
| Hardiness | USDA zones 3 to 8 |
| Light | Full sun |
| Wildlife | Excellent for pollinators; deer and rabbit resistant |
A color trick for the lavender bed
Chartreuse and purple sit across from each other on the color wheel, so they make each other look brighter. A low ribbon of Chartreuse on the Loose along the front of a lavender bed lights up the whole planting, even in spring before the lavender blooms and in fall after it is cut.
It shares everything else with lavender: full sun, lean soil and little water. Its arching, almost horizontal stems make a mound much wider than tall, so it works as a groundcover between lavender groups or along a path. Keep it a little away from the lavender crowns so air can move. Try layouts in the Companion Plant Planner.
Planting and care
- Site: full sun. The leaf color is strongest in good light.
- Soil: lean to average and well-drained. Wet soil is the main cause of root and crown rot.
- Water: regular the first season, then only during long dry spells.
- Trimming: not required for flowers. A light trim in midsummer neatens the mound if it opens up in humid heat.
- Winter: very hardy in Michigan with good drainage. Leave stems standing and cut back in early spring.
Containers and edging
Its low, spreading habit makes it a natural spiller for containers. Plant it at the rim of a pot with an upright lavender in the center, and the chartreuse leaves will tumble over the edge. The brushed leaves have a pungent, minty-herbal scent. It is ornamental, not a plant for eating.
About the plug tray
Chartreuse on the Loose is offered as a 72-cell plug tray, handy for edging long beds or filling containers in quantity. See the product page for current availability, or visit the Wholesale Hub.
Frequently asked questions
Do I have to shear it like other catmints?
No. It keeps flowering from late spring until frost without deadheading. A trim is just for shape.
Will the yellow leaves burn in full sun?
It is grown in full sun, where the color is brightest. Keep it watered through its first season while roots establish.
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