Product Field NotesCompanion Plants
Kitten Around Catmint: A Tidy Periwinkle Mound for Small Spaces
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Kitten Around catmint is a very compact catmint that forms a tight, round mound just 12 to 14 inches tall and about 20 to 22 inches wide. Its small, periwinkle-blue flowers sit in bright rosy-purple calyxes, closely spaced along short stems over scalloped gray-green leaves, and it blooms from early summer into early fall.
Many catmints flop open in the middle by midsummer. This one was selected to stay tight, which is a rare kind of good behavior for anything with "kitten" in its name.
Kitten Around at a glance
| Trait | What to expect |
|---|---|
| Botanical name | Nepeta × faassenii 'Kitten Around' |
| Flowers | Periwinkle blue in rosy-purple calyxes |
| Foliage | Small, gray-green, scalloped, strongly aromatic when brushed |
| Size | 12 to 14 inches tall, 20 to 22 inches wide |
| Bloom | Starts early June, peaks mid-June, long blooming with strong rebloom |
| Hardiness | USDA zones 3-8 |
| Light | Full sun |
| Wildlife | Excellent for bees and butterflies; deer resistant |
One of lavender's best partners
Catmint and lavender are a classic pairing for good reason. Both want full sun and lean, well-drained soil, both have gray-green foliage, and both hum with bees. Catmint's soft periwinkle haze blooms alongside lavender in June, then keeps going long after the lavender harvest, so the bed never goes quiet.
Kitten Around's small size opens up spots a full-sized catmint would swamp: the front edge of a lavender bed, the gaps between young lavender plants, or the sides of a narrow sunny walk. Try placements in the Companion Plant Planner.
Planting and care
- Site: full sun and lean to average, well-drained soil. Rich or overwatered soil makes catmint sprawl.
- Water: regular water while it establishes, then little extra.
- Shearing: cut back by about a third to a half after the first flush to tidy it and push repeat bloom into fall.
- Airflow: in humid heat, crowded plants may open up; a midsummer shear corrects it.
- Winter: leave stems standing and cut back in early spring once new growth appears.
Containers and small gardens
A tight mound that blooms for months is exactly what a sunny container wants. Pair Kitten Around with a potted lavender on a patio, or use a row of them to edge a sunny walk where brushing past releases the minty-herbal scent of the leaves. The flowers themselves are not notably scented.
The 72-cell plug tray
Kitten Around is offered as a 72-cell plug tray, a practical way to edge long lavender beds or mass plant a sunny slope. See the product page for current availability, or visit the Wholesale Hub.
Frequently asked questions
Will my cat roll in it?
Some cats enjoy catmint. If yours does, a young plant may need a little protection until it fills out.
Is catmint the same as catnip?
They are relatives. This one is a garden catmint grown for its long bloom and tidy shape, not for eating.
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