Blue Moon Catmint is a compact perennial with delicate blooms that brings mellow charm to gardens across zones 4-7. This heat-tolerant cultivar of Nepeta nervosa reaches just 12 inches tall, making it perfect for edging borders or filling smaller garden spaces. It flowers prolifically within 60-69 days, and its open-pollinated seeds come from non-GMO stock, offering gardeners a reliable, natural option that's also safe around pets despite its appeal to cats.
Photo © True Leaf Market
Growing Conditions
USDA Zone
4-7
Sunlight
Full Sun
Water
Moderate
Soil
Well-drained, Fertile Loam
Preferred Temp60-75°F
Growth Stats
12 in
Height
—
Width
24 in
Spacing
60–69
Days to Harvest
PeriodPerennial
TypeForb/herb
Plant Profile
Sunlight
Full Sun
Water
Moderate
Zones
4-7
Size
12in H x ?in W
Growth
Perennial
Care
Moderate
Hover over chart points for details
Highlights
Rabbits and deer leave Blue Moon Catmint alone, yet it remains completely non-toxic to cats and other pets, making it one of the few ornamental herbs that works in any garden situation. The heat tolerance is genuine, not hypothetical; this variety thrives in hot, dry conditions where other perennials flag. Its diminutive 12-inch stature packed into a compact form means you can tuck it into small spaces, containers, or rock gardens without it ever becoming leggy or overwhelming.
Common Uses
Blue Moon Catmint is grown primarily as an ornamental flowering plant whose delicate blooms add texture and color to borders and containers. While it's technically an herb, its use is aesthetic rather than culinary, valued for the visual softness of its flowers rather than any culinary or medicinal application.
Growing Timeline
First Bloom
Late Spring
First Harvest
Early Summer
Last Harvest
Early Fall
Care Instructions
Start Indoors
Start seeds indoors 6-8 weeks before the last spring frost. Sow on the soil surface or press gently into seed-starting mix without covering, as seeds benefit from light exposure for germination. Keep soil consistently moist but not waterlogged at 65-70°F. Transplant seedlings outdoors after the last frost date when they have developed two to three true leaves.
Transplant Outdoors
Harden off seedlings over 7-10 days by gradually exposing them to outdoor conditions before planting. Transplant after the last spring frost when soil has warmed. Space plants 24 inches apart in full sun locations with well-draining soil.
Direct Sow
Direct sow seeds in spring after the last frost date, pressing them gently into the soil surface to maintain light contact. Keep the seeding area consistently moist until germination, which typically occurs within 10-15 days at 65-70°F.
Pruning
Deadhead spent flowers regularly to encourage continuous blooming throughout the growing season. In late fall or early spring, cut back the compact growth to 2-3 inches above the ground to rejuvenate the plant and maintain its tidy shape.
Growing Calendar
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Companion Planting
Pests & Diseases
Ecology & Traits
Scientific Classification
Nepeta camphorata Boiss. & Heldr.
Family
Lamiaceae
Genus
Nepeta
Duration
Perennial
Growth Habit
Bush
Native Status
CAN (I)