Walker's Low catmint

Sun

Full sun gives the strongest growth and most flowers; tolerates light afternoon shade in hot climates.

Water

Water regularly during the first growing season, allowing the surface soil to dry between waterings. Once established, water during prolonged drought; avoid constantly damp soil.

Soil

Well-drained soil, including sandy, chalky or gravelly ground. Tolerates clay if drainage is good; rich, wet soil encourages floppy growth.

Height

2-3 ft (0.6-0.9 m)

Spread

2-3 ft (0.6-0.9 m)

Flowers

Violet-blue flowers from late spring into summer, often repeating into early autumn after shearing.

Foliage

Small, opposite, toothed grey-green leaves with a minty scent when brushed or crushed.

Growth

Fast; usually forms a substantial flowering mound within one or two growing seasons.

Care needed

Low

• Pollinators
• Deer resistant
• Drought tolerant
• Cold hardy
• Low allergen
• Fragrant

Northern hemisphere months. In Australia, shift them by six.

Difficulty

Easy

Toughness

Very tough

Pick your zone, country, light and whether you have pets.

1. Planting day

   1 ft (0.3 m)

2. After 1 year

   1.7 ft (0.53 m)

3. After 2 years

   2.5 ft (0.75 m)

   full size

About 2 years to full size.

From a typical nursery size, at an average rate for this kind of plant. A rule of thumb, not a forecast.

Cats and dogs

Safe

Growth rate

Fast

• Plant with the crown at soil level and leave room for its broad, arching growth.
• Water deeply during establishment rather than giving frequent light sprinklings.
• Avoid heavy feeding; a light spring application of compost is usually enough on poor soil.
• Keep mulch clear of the crown, especially where winters are wet.
• Divide congested clumps every three to four years if flowering declines or the centre opens.

Pruning. After the main flush fades, shear flowered stems back by about half, leaving leafy growth to encourage another flush. Cut remaining dead stems to just above the crown in late winter or early spring before new shoots lengthen.

Early spring

Remove dead stems and divide established clumps if needed.

Spring

Plant in well-drained soil and water new plants thoroughly.

Late spring

Take softwood cuttings from healthy, non-flowering shoots.

Summer

Shear after the main flower flush and water if the soil is very dry.

Autumn

Remove diseased material, but leave healthy stems standing if you prefer winter shelter for insects.

Winter

Check that water is not collecting around the crown; avoid piling mulch over it.

• Repeat along sunny paths, allowing the arching stems to soften hard edges without blocking the walking space.
• Plant beneath roses to cover bare lower stems and provide a contrasting blue-purple flower layer.
• Use in gravel gardens with ornamental grasses and drought-tolerant perennials for a loose, low-water planting.
• Plant in broad drifts near upright flowers such as salvias and coneflowers for contrasting shapes.

Garden styles it suits: Cottage garden, English country, New perennial (prairie), Pollinator garden, Dry gravel garden and Mediterranean.

Plant it with: Roses, Yarrow, Bearded iris, Purple coneflower, Upright stonecrop and Feather reed grass.

Wildlife: Flowers attract bumblebees, other bees and butterflies. Deer and rabbits usually leave the aromatic foliage alone, although no plant is completely browsing-proof.

• Crown or root rot in wet soil: improve drainage or move the plant to a raised position; keep mulch away from the crown.
• Floppy, open growth: provide more sun, stop high-nitrogen feeding and shear after flowering.
• Powdery mildew in humid, crowded conditions: increase spacing, water at soil level and remove badly affected growth.
• Cats rolling on young plants: protect new clumps temporarily with a low wire cage until they are established.

This cultivar is not known to be toxic to people, cats, dogs or horses. Eating substantial amounts of foliage may nevertheless cause digestive upset in pets; discourage chewing and seek veterinary advice if symptoms develop.

• Catnip (Nepeta cataria)

  Usually taller and more upright, with larger, greener leaves and mainly whitish flowers marked with purple rather than a broad mound of violet-blue flowers.

• Six Hills Giant catmint (Nepeta 'Six Hills Giant')

  Usually taller and more sprawling, with longer flowering stems. Size overlaps, so a reliable label is often needed to distinguish the cultivars.

• Woodland sage (Salvia nemorosa)

  Has firmer, more upright flower spikes and generally darker, more elongated leaves rather than catmint's soft, spreading stems and small grey-green leaves.

The cultivar was named after the Irish garden Walkers Low, not for a particularly low-growing habit.

Propagation. Divide clumps in spring or take softwood cuttings in spring to early summer. Vegetative propagation preserves the cultivar; it sets little viable seed, and seedlings would not reliably come true.

Accepted botanical name

Nepeta racemosa

In the US and Canada

Introduced in the lower 48 states.

Native range

Iran, Iraq, Transcaucasus and Turkey.

Sources: GBIF (CC BY 4.0), USDA PLANTS and Trefle (CC BY 4.0). The care and design notes are LandscapeGPT's own.