Nepeta

Nepeta cataria plants are classified as herbaceous perennial herbs. Catnip plants have naturalized in various parts of North America, and even where they are not perennial, they will likely reseed. In fact, many gardeners find catnip too weedy and too aggressive of a spreader to grow it in their landscapes.

Catnip is a common herb that thrives in much of North America and is very easy to grow. While you’ve probably heard that catnip makes cats something like tipsy, you might not know that this effect is an inherited trait and does not affect all cats. And if you’re planning to plant catnip—for your cat or yourself—you should realize that there are different types of catnip and that all common types are invasive. This means they can take over your garden even if they don’t take over your cat’s mind.