Nepeta tuberosa subsp. tuberosa

RHS Plant Profile

tuberous catmint

Herbaceous Perennial

Stiff, upright grey-hairy stems to 80cm tall with aromatic narrow, oval, whitish woolly leaves 8cm long and bearing dense spikes of tiny purple flowers amid tiers of mauve-purple buds, from July to early September

Position

Full sun

Soil Types

Loam, Chalk, Sand

Max Height

0.5-1 metres

Max Spread

0.1-0.5 metres

Size

Time to Maturity: 2–5 years
Max Spread: 0.1-0.5 metres
Max Height: 0.5-1 metres

Growing Conditions

Loam Chalk Sand

Moisture: Well–drained
pH: Acid or Alkaline or Neutral

Position

Full sun

Aspect: South–facing or West–facing
Exposure: Exposed or Sheltered
Hardiness

Hardiness Ratings

All ratings refer to the UK growing conditions unless otherwise stated. Minimum temperature ranges (in degrees C) are shown in brackets

H1A: under glass all year (>15C)
H1B: can be grown outside in the summer (10 - 15)
H1C: can be grown outside in the summer (5 - 10)
H2: tolerant of low temperatures, but not surviving being frozen (1 to 5)
H3: hardy in coastal and relatively mild parts of the UK (-5 to 1)
H4: hardy through most of the UK (-10 to -5)
H5: hardy in most places throughout the UK even in severe winters (-15 to -10)
H6: hardy in all of UK and northern Europe (-20 to -15)
H7: hardy in the severest European continental climates (< -20): H6

Colour & Scent

Season	Stem	Flower	Foliage	Fruit
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter

Botanical Details

Family: Lamiaceae
Native to GB/Ireland: No
Foliage: Deciduous
Habit: Bushy, Clump forming
Genus: Nepeta can be annuals or, more commonly, perennials, with paired, usually aromatic leaves, and terminal spikes or panicles of 2-lipped, tubular flowers
Name Status: Correct
Plant Range: Throughout the range of the species

How to Grow

Cultivation

Grow in any well-drained soil in full sun

Propagation

Propagate by softwood cuttings in early summer or by division in spring or autumn

Suggested planting locations and garden types

City and courtyard gardens
Coastal
Cottage and informal garden
Gravel garden
Mediterranean climate plants
Patio and container plants
Flower borders and beds

Pruning

Flowered stems can be cut down after flowering is finished

Pests

May be susceptible to leafhoppers and slug damage on young growth

Diseases

Generally disease-free