Catmint

Discuss this plant with the guide — choose this profile as a possible match and prepare your observations for Colorado Plants & Practical Care.

Nepeta × faassenii

Introduced garden hybrid. N-nepeta-x-faassenii

Spreading clumps; pet evidence gap. Native status, garden use and noxious-weed class are separate from toxicity. Exposure help.

Identification caveat: Sterility is reported for this hybrid, not all plants sold as catmint. Verify cultivar and scientific name.

Still researching this plant

This is a sourced working profile. Evidence is incomplete for People, Dogs & cats, Other animals. Identification and source-photo limits are explained below. Independent botanical and veterinary review is pending. Uncertainty is not a finding that the plant is safe.

Three views of this plant

Photos are source-identified examples, not a complete identification key. Check leaves, stems, flowers and fruit together. Locations are not assumed to be in Colorado.

**flower** — Macro view of violet-blue, two-lipped flowers with darker spotting and hairy calyces.
Didier Descouens · CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo source and identification
Original record · Original image
Source-supported identification with visual consistency check Photo selection verifies source labeling and visible consistency; it is not an independent specimen determination.
Downloaded source thumbnail; no further pixel edits. Gallery display preserves the full image; the catalog preview uses a CSS crop.

**leaf** — Opposite pairs of gray-green, toothed leaves viewed from above, with strongly textured surfaces.
Salicyna · CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo source and identification
Original record · Original image
Source-supported identification with visual consistency check Photo selection verifies source labeling and visible consistency; it is not an independent specimen determination.
Downloaded source thumbnail; no further pixel edits. Gallery display preserves the full image; the catalog preview uses a CSS crop.

**habit** — Low spreading clump in bare garden soil with numerous violet-blue flowering stems.
Salicyna · CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo source and identification
Original record · Original image
Source-supported identification with visual consistency check Photo selection verifies source labeling and visible consistency; it is not an independent specimen determination.
Downloaded source thumbnail; no further pixel edits. Gallery display preserves the full image; the catalog preview uses a CSS crop.

Recognize

Gray-green aromatic leaves, square stems and lavender-blue flowers. N-nepeta-x-faassenii

Plants & habitat

A drought-tolerant, sterile hybrid that expands as a clump; it is unlikely to reseed. Divide or trim when it outgrows its space. N-nepeta-x-faassenii

People

The horticultural source does not provide a human ingestion assessment. This is an evidence gap, not proof of safety.

Dogs & cats

Its scent can attract cats. This does not establish ingestion safety. Catnip (Nepeta cataria) is a different taxon; its poison listing cannot automatically classify this hybrid. N-nepeta-x-faassenii

Other animals

Species-specific ingestion effects and exposure thresholds were not established in the reviewed sources. This is an evidence gap, not proof of safety.

Before taking action

Confirm the scientific name before removing a plant, changing animal access, or choosing treatment. An evidence gap means this review has not resolved the question. It does not mean safe. For listed weeds, consult your county weed program about the requirements for your location; follow the current label for any pesticide. S27

References

N-nepeta-x-faassenii — Nepeta x faassenii — Plant Toolbox, NC State Extension. Accessed 2026-09-07T00:23:58+00:00. Locator: Description, Attributes, Poisonous to Humans, Problems.

Content revised 2026-09-07 02:43:00Z · Source checks dated separately in the references.