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Gerald L. Klingaman
Lamiaceae
NEPETA x faassenii 'Walkers Low'
Garden Catmint, Walkers Low Catmint
The compact catmint, 'Walker's Low', is a super tough summer perennial for full sun. This aromatic, blue-flowered beauty is a hybrid cross between Nepeta nepetella and N. racemosa. In spring, it produces a neat bushy mound of small, gray-green, scalloped leaves that are slightly hairy. By early summer, it offers many loose, upright spikes of violet-blue flowers. These are highly attractive to bees and will reliably re-bloom if spent flower stems are pinched off.
The toughness of this perennial can’t be beat. It is both heat and drought tolerant once established and even grows well along the edge of hot paved walkways. It is a total sun-lover, so don’t even attempt to grow it in shade. Average to fertile soil with excellent drainage is needed for good health. Pebbly or sandy soil works too. After the first flush of blooms in spring, trim all the stems back to encourage a full, robust second flush of flowers later in summer.
This lovely mint looks best planted in masses and makes a superb companion to ornamental grasses and summer-blooming composites. It is a close relative to true catnip (Nepeta cataria) and entices felines in a similar way. 'Walkers Low' is purported to be sterile, and therefore not self-sow, but this is not consistently so.
8 - 1
4 - 8
1a, 1b, 2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Perennial
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial Shade
15"-18" / 38.1cm - 45.7cm
18"-24" / 45.7cm - 61.0cm
Late Spring, Early Summer, Summer, Late Summer, Early Fall
Hybrid Origin
Neutral
Well Drained
Loam, Sand
Pollution
Fast
Drought Tolerant, Average Water
Cushion/Mound-forming
Spring, Summer, Fall
Showy
Lavender, Blue Violet
Light Green, Gray Green
Yes
No
Single
Medium
Matte
Container, Edging, Mixed Border, Rock Garden / Wall
Butterflies
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