Gardening Edible Gardening Herbs Catnip By Viveka Neveln Viveka Neveln Instagram Viveka Neveln is the Garden Editor at BHG and a degreed horticulturist with broad gardening expertise earned over 3+ decades of practice and study. She has more than 20 years of experience writing and editing for both print and digital media. Learn about BHG's Editorial Process Updated on February 1, 2017 Share Tweet Pin Email Catnip Overview Description Catnip is an easy-to-grow perennial grown primarily for its fragrant foliage that is extremely attractive to cats. A vigorous herb, catnip can be grown indoors on a sunny windowsill or in a bright location outdoors. As with many mints, it can become invasive. Plant it in a location where it is easily controlled. And remove the flower heads before they mature and set seeds. Harvest catnip leaves at any time as a treat for your favorite feline. You also can dry the leaves and stuff them into kitty toys. The aromatic foliage also repels mosquitoes. Genus Name Nepeta cataria Common Name Catnip Plant Type Herb Light Part Sun, Sun Height 1 to 3 feet Width 18 to 18 inches Flower Color White Season Features Summer Bloom Special Features Attracts Birds, Low Maintenance Zones 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 Propagation Seed, Stem Cuttings Problem Solvers Drought Tolerant More varieties for catnip Lemon catnip Nepeta cataria 'Citriodora' has lemon-scent foliage, particularly on hot days. The foliage is medium green, and the plant is slightly smaller than the straight species. It is just as attractive to cats as plain catnip. Dried leaves can be used to make a relaxing tea. Zones 3-9 Find perennials to pair with your herbs More Videos » Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit