Latin name: Nepeta x faassenii Junior Walker ‘Novanepjun’
Written by the Vancouver Island Master Gardener's Association.
Looking for an easy-care, hardy, fast-growing, showy perennial with a long bloom time, tolerant of a broad range of light, soil and moisture conditions? Deer resistant, too. Nepeta x faassenii Junior Walker ‘Novanepjun’ (Dwarf Catmint) checks all the boxes. And, being a sterile hybrid of N. racemosa and N. nepitella, it won’t seed all over your garden.
Profusely flowering, and eye-catching, with vibrant lavender blue blossoms, it is compact enough to fit in any corner of the garden. It is particularly striking in mass plantings and borders. The mounded, densely clumping foliage keeps the plant attractive even when not in bloom.
Leaves have a lemony-minty aroma when crushed. Some cats love it and will roll in it or bite it.
Junior Walker Catmint is tolerant of periods of drought once established, but regular watering is required in its first growing season. It may be trimmed after flowering to encourage a second flowering.
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Attribute |
Description |
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Form: |
Low growing, dense, spreading herbaceous perennial. |
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Foliage: |
Leaves opposite, ovate, most blades 2-4cm long x 1.5-2.5cm wide, wrinkled with rounded teeth or scallops, hairy. Mintlike in shape and texture. |
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Height/Width: |
Height 30-60 cm. Width 60-90 cm. |
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Hardiness Zone: |
Zone 4-8 |
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Exposure: |
Full sun to part shade. |
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Flower colour: |
Floriferous whorls of blue to lavender flower clusters. Two-lipped blossoms, 0.5 by 1 cm. |
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Leaf colour: |
Grey-green. |
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Flower time: |
June-September |
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Preferred soil and Watering: |
Tolerates periods of drought and summer dry conditions once established. |
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Pests and diseases: |
Unfortunately, particularly attractive to some cats. Usually, pest and disease-free but can be bothered by leafhoppers and powdery mildew. |
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Other: |
Attracts beneficial insects and butterflies. Deer and rabbit resistant. Leaves have a strong odour when crushed. Uses: Container planting, cut flower or foliage, ground cover, group or mass planting, borders, fragrance, edible herb.
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