Nepeta racemosa

‘Felix’

FELIX CATMINT

SALE: Buy 1 get 2 packs

Nepeta racemosa ‘Felix’
FELIX CATMINT
SALE: Buy 1 get 2 packets

Nepeta racemosa ‘Felix’ is a much appreciated recent release, and quite an improvement on the old original Catmint.

New release Catmint with advantages…..

This new and much improved version of the old original cottage garden favourite – Catmint

….. Richer, deeper blue-violet colour

‘Felix’ has richer, deeper blue-violet flowers, so an improvement in colour.

….. Longer & more prolific repeat blooming

It has longer and more prolific repeat flowering. So more colour for longer (much to the pleasure of the bees).

….. More compact & less floppy

And it is a more compact grower, and less floppy.
So even more valuable for edging sunny borders, carpeting under roses, or luring the bees into your veggie patch and orchard and keeping the Aphids away.
(Scroll down to GROWING section below for Tips and growing details).

Aromatic grey-green foliage

So Nepeta racemosa ‘Felix’ is quite striking, with aromatic pale grey-green leaves providing the perfect foil for the rich blue-lilac flower colour.

Repeats of mass blooming all summer long

And the repeats of  mass blooming come all summer long, especially if you chop back hard after each crop of flowers.
Plants bounce back into bloom quickly and even better.

Compact growth

While compact growth gives such excellent flower value.

Hardy in heat & dry

Catmint deserves its fine reputation for being so hardy in less than ideal conditions.
It basks in heat and withstands dry spells well.
As a native of Türkiye and Iran – it has made good friends with heat and dry.

Water-wise & drought resistant

So it does not require large or frequent amounts of water to thrive.

Frost hardy

Nepeta racemosa ‘Felix’ happily withstands frosts down to at least -10°C (that is a very big frost).

Better on a lean rather than a rich diet

So it is very happy in sandy, rocky, gravel, seaside, or garden loam – as long as the soil is well drained.
It enjoys lime – so it is a perfect and traditional companion plant for roses.
But it will leave you quickly in boggy or heavy soil.

Low maintenance

Other than a hard chop back after each flowering – there is little to do with Catmint.
And the chop back encourages another round of blooming – so it is productive work.

Rabbit deer & pest resistant

The taste of all the aromatic oil in the foliage does not appeal to rabbits and deer. Nor does the furry texture.
So they almost never touch Catmint – in preference for tastier fodder.
Likewise it is rarely if ever troubled by pests and diseases – very low care.

Bees & pollinators buzz for it

Bees and a host of useful pollinators are constantly buzzing in the flowers, gathering abundant nectar and pollen.
The long and repeat blooming is a great boon to them too.

Some cats just love sniffing it

While not all cats are fans – for some cats it seems to be a very pleasant experience and give them a buzz.
So they get a dreamy “far away” look in their eyes and become very relaxed.
And may even roll in it so they wear the perfume.
Hence the common name of “Catmint”.

Handy traditional Companion Plant

Nepeta racemosa has a long tradition of being used as an insect repelling companion plant with roses, veggies and fruit orchards, because of its aromatic qualities. And this more compact form is a perfect underplanting or edging.

SEED SOWING ADVICE: QUICK & EASY

Sow directly in the garden in spring.
OR
Sow indoors in a punnet at any time, whenever suitable temperatures are available (15-20°C).

Sow indoors for quick & early plants: Sow seed on the surface of good quality seed raising mix.
Press gently into surface. Cover seed lightly with mix to depth of diameter of seed.
But do not bury deeply, as light is needed for germination.

Moisten punnet thoroughly by standing it in a shallow water bath and allowing the moisture to percolate up to the surface of the mix from below.

Then place in warm, well-lit position (NOT in any direct sunlight, as this will dry the seeds out and prevent germination) .

Continue to keep the punnet moist by misting regularly from a spray water-bottle.
Covering the punnet with a clear plastic lid or plastic bag will also help to retain necessary consistent moisture between mistings.
(Remove cover as soon as sprouting shows).

Temperatures of 15-20°C are optimum for rapid germination.

Seeds germinate in 7-14 days approx.

Seed Count: 50 seeds per pack approx.
(We always aim to exceed the stated seed count, and give a generous serve).

GROWING: Nepeta racemosa ‘Felix’

– Height with flowers: 30cm approx.
– Width: 40 cm approx.
– Position: Full Sun or can tolerate a little Partial Shade as long as it is dry shade.
But it really prefers to bask in the sun.

Drought resistant & water-wise

– Soil: Nepeta is not a bit fussy, and will tolerate most types of soil. As long as it is well drained.
But Nepeta racemosa will kiss you goodbye very quickly if it becomes waterlogged.
And it is perfectly happy in sandy, stony, gravel and poor soils.
In fact Nepeta racemosa prefers tougher conditions which keep it beautifully compact.
Water-saving: Nepeta racemosa is a very water-wise plant.
It is ideal for hot, dry, arid or coastal gardens, or those with sandy, poor soils.
Nepeta is rated as drought resistant. So once established it will require little and infrequent extra water.
– Frost: Nepeta racemosa is extremely frost hardy, and can endure even hard frosts to below -20C.

Useful companion plant

– Aromatic: Both flowers and foliage have a very pleasant aroma. And happily the scent just gets better the hotter, drier and tougher the growing conditions get.
But even better-  aphids and other sucking pests find the scent offensive, and tend to head in another direction.
– Growth: Evergreen perennial clump (or ever-grey in this case).
– Beneficial for wildlife: Bees, Butterflies and other beneficial pollinators just love buzzing around and feeding from the nectar rich flowers. One plant in flower is a supermarket for bees, because there are so many flowers to feed from for such a long time.
– Companion plant: Nepeta racemosa has a long tradition of being used as an insect repelling companion plant with roses, veggies and fruit orchards, because of its aromatic qualities. And this more compact form is a perfect underplanting or edging.

Hardy & easy

– Care: Hardy Nepeta racemosa could not be easier to grow.
It is rarely if ever subject to pests and diseases, and requires little to no maintenance.
However it is a good idea to shear it back hard after each round of flowering. Then it will pop back into full flower very quickly.
– Deer & Rabbit resistant: Nepeta racemosa is very deer and rabbit resistant, as they dislike the taste of the aromatic oils in the foliage.
– Origin: All Nepeta racemosa types of Catmint are sterile garden hybrids, originally raised in Holland for prolific flower production. So there is no chance they will self seed.

Click here for Nursery Open Days & Open Gardens Information
https://www.gardivalia.com.au/open-gardens

Click here to go back to Seeds Shop
https://www.seedscape.net.au/shop/