Product Field NotesCompanion Plants
Picture Purrfect Catmint: An Early Blue Carpet Under Lavender
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Picture Purrfect catmint is a low, wide Nepeta, about 10 to 12 inches tall and spreading to 2 feet. Its blue-purple flowers are larger and truer in color than those of classic catmints, set off by rosy-purple calyxes and dark purplish-red stems. It also starts blooming roughly two weeks earlier than many catmints, depending on the weather, and keeps going from June into September.
Brush the small, scalloped, gray-green leaves and you get a pungent, minty-herbal scent.
Picture Purrfect at a glance
| Trait | What to expect |
|---|---|
| Botanical name | Nepeta 'Picture Purrfect' |
| Flowers | Large blue-purple, with rosy-purple calyxes |
| Foliage | Small, gray-green, scalloped, aromatic |
| Size | 10 to 12 inches tall, 22 to 24 inches wide |
| Bloom | Starts late May, peaks mid-June, high rebloom into September |
| Hardiness | USDA zones 3 to 8 |
| Light | Full sun |
| Wildlife | Excellent for pollinators; deer and rabbit resistant |
Why catmint and lavender go together
If we had to pick one companion for a lavender bed, catmint would be near the top of the list. It wants exactly what lavender wants: full sun, lean soil, sharp drainage and very little water once rooted. Its gray-green foliage blends with lavender's silver leaves, and its blue-purple haze sits right next to lavender's purple, so the two read as one soft, cool-toned planting.
Picture Purrfect's low, spreading habit makes it ideal as a skirt along the front of lavender. Its early start means color arrives before the lavender, and its rebloom keeps the bed going after the lavender harvest. Lay it out in the Companion Plant Planner.
The mid-season haircut
- After the first big flush of bloom, shear the whole plant back by about a third.
- This tidies the mound, especially in hot or rich sites where catmint can sprawl.
- A fresh round of flowers follows, carrying color toward September.
Care through the year
- Soil: lean to average and well drained. Rich soil and extra water make it floppy.
- Water: handles dry spells with little extra water once established.
- Winter: very hardy in Michigan when drainage is good. Leave stems standing over winter and cut back in early spring once new growth appears.
A note for cat owners
Catmint can attract the neighborhood cats, who may roll in it with enthusiasm. If that becomes a problem, a few twiggy stakes around young plants usually give them time to fill in. For a bee-friendly planting near hives, see our Beekeeper Tools.
Frequently asked questions
Is catmint the same as catnip?
They are related, but ornamental catmints like this one are grown for long-lasting flowers and a tidier habit.
Will it bloom with my lavender?
Yes. It starts a little before English lavender, overlaps it in June and keeps blooming after.
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