Cat Mint

The catmint adds blue color to any garden. Works well in hot dry conditiions. Blue Wonder catmint prefers full sun. Another name for the catmint is Nepeta x faassenii.

The many blue flowers each plant produces grows to a height of 12 to 15 inches. Each plant should be spaced 18 inches apart. Recommend you put the plant in well drained soil. It is a perfect plant to place in those dry areas you always forget to water.
Catmint is easy to propagate, easy to trim, and equally easy to rip out if you get sick of it. It does flower well in autumn if it's been trimmed back.The catmint blooms in June and July. Its recommended as ground cover for planting below shrubs. Or it also works as a sunny blue border plant. It is an aromatic plant.
Question:
I got some "cat mint" from a swap last year. Is this the same as cat nip? It certainly looks like it's in the mint family.
Chuck R. from Grand Rapids, MI

Answer:
Chuck,
Catnip and Catmint are not the same (although the two are often lumped together) but you're right, Catmint (Nepeta mussinii) is related to Catnip (Nepeta cataria). Botanically, both are in the genus Nepeta. To make things even more confusing, there is also Lesser Calamintha (Calamintha nepeta) a subspecies of catnip and several other varieties and hybrids in the Nepeta genus.

Many cats are attracted to both plants, but their response tends to be more intense to Catnip. The chemical responsible for their crazy behavior is called nepetalactone, which is found in the leaves, stems and flowers. The amount of this chemical found in each plant varies a bit by species. It seems that catnip has larger amounts of it and so attracts more felines. Incidentally, all members of the cat family (Felidae) are supposed to be attracted to it, so take care when giving it to lions and tigers. As for telling the two plants apart, Catnip generally has a taller, more upright growing habit, and Catmint tends to mound and has more pronounced purple/pink flowers.

You can remove spent flowers to produce a second bloom. Trim unwanted growth to keep it looking well groomed. The flowers of the catmint tend to be a lavendar color. The leaves are gray-green.


Perennial Full sun
Remove spent flowers for a second bloom well drained soil - can tolerate heat and dryness
Variety of flower colors, blooms from May through August height 12 to 15 inches
Deer resistant width 18 inches
The catmint flowers in dry conditions and can be placed near walkways, patios, and porches so you can enjoy the lovely aroma.

Catnip Toys

Making organic catnip toys can be so easy and profitable too. They can make great gifts for people to give as gifts for their hard to buy for friends.If you love to sew or a crafts expert, then making catnip toys can be a breeze. First you need a good quality catnip. You can either grow your own and dry it, or buy it from a reputable health food store that has human grade organic loose catnip.A couple of ideas would be take get some orange felt or duck cloth and a sew it into a long shape like a carrot and stuff it with some fiber fill and catnip. Close the end off with some grean yarn to make a carrot top.

Another idea would be to get some brown felt fabric and make a short fat angular shape like a mouse, fill it with fiber fill and catnip, sew the large end shut. Use a sharpie pen and draw eyes and whiskers for the face. Then sew a long piece of cord for the tail. It would be okay if it frays as long as they pieces can't come lose and cause a health hazard for your kitty.To make these original organic catnip toys even more enjoyable and fun for you and your feline friend, would be to tie a long piece of yarn to a wooden dowel and pull the toy for your cat to chase. Or tie the toy to a solid object like a door handle for your cat to play with by themselves.

Think about making large quantities of these and selling them at your local crafts shows or setting up your own online business selling your cat toys through the internet.

By Karen Gall

CATNIP FLOWERS

Are catnip flowers more potent than the leaves? Catnip plants are beautiful. They have white or lavender flowers and the leaves are grayish green. They are very easy to grow.Catnip flowers is so called because of the curious behavior of cats when they get a sniff of this feline favorite. It have as a component of potassium , iron , selenium,manganese, chromium & moderate quantity of other minerals & vitamins. It is beneficial as a medicinal tea to abate coughing, cold symptoms, upset stomach and to assist sleep.It gives excellent nutritional advantage.It is used in various botanical preparations. The plant is described as being a favorable calmative for hyperactive children & used as a curative in the treatment of tension and anxiety.As an herbal apothecary,Its distilled oil is supposed to be a very efficacious appetite stimulant, and has been used in the treatment of anorexia. Catnip contains high amount of vitamins A, C and B-complex and have magnesium, manganese, phosphorus, sodium and some parts of sulphur.It aromatic property assist the nervous system by way of its influence upon the digestive system.It is also best known to use as a treatment for flatulence and relax the intestinal tract. In addition, it enhance circulation and in eliminating mucus from the body.

Catnip flowers bring people closer together, enhancing friendship and common bonds. it is indicated for those who feel inhibited socially or are in unfamiliar social situation. Catnip flowers soften preceived boundries, eliminating apprehension and promoting contentment. Catnip flowers well with india howthorn to encourage a sense of oneness around others.

Catnip flowers were use in a tea to alleviate insomnia colid, cold, menstrual cramps and fever. Catnip flowers are properties are basically antipasmodic. Native American brewed the flowering tops to soothe a sore throat. the generic name Napeta is from Nepeta, Italy where it was cultivated. During the middle age, women sat over the stem of catnip flower tea to take away of barrennes. Directly seeded plants are said to be of no interest to cats.

TEA FOR IMMUNE SUPPORT

this is a relaxing tea, especially beneficial for the onset of acold and flu.
ingrediants
1 cup water
1 teaspoon camomile flowers
1 teaspoon lemon thyme or thyme leaves
1 teaspoon catnip leaves or blossoms (catnip flower)
boil one cup water. Remove from heet. Steep one teaspoon of each herb, fresh or dried for ten minutes. Strain, sweeten if desired, and sin one or two cup daily.