What does catmint mean?
Catmint is an aromatic perennial herb belonging to the genus Nepeta in the mint family, Lamiaceae. The name most often refers to ornamental garden varieties such as Nepeta × faassenii, prized for their mounds of grey-green foliage and long-lasting spikes of lavender-blue flowers. Despite sharing its name with catnip — the famously feline-intoxicating Nepeta cataria — most garden catmints hold little appeal for cats, making the common name something of a misnomer. Catmint is a staple of cottage-style borders and pollinator gardens, valued for its drought tolerance, hardiness, and attractiveness to bees. It thrives in full sun, blooms from late spring into autumn if cut back after flowering, and spreads into soft, billowing drifts. The word combines "cat" with "mint", reflecting both the plant's family resemblance to true mints and its historical association with feline behaviour. Gardeners, nursery catalogues, and horticultural writers use the term routinely, and it appears frequently in planting guides and garden design writing.
nounA hardy aromatic perennial herb of the genus Nepeta, especially Nepeta × faassenii, with grey-green leaves and spikes of lavender-blue flowers, closely related to and often confused with catnip.
- An aromatic ornamental perennial herb of the genus Nepeta, with grey-green foliage and spikes of blue or lavender flowers.
"The bees swarmed over the lavender spikes of catmint that spilled along the front path."
"She divided the overgrown clumps of catmint in early spring and replanted them along the walkway."
"After the first flush of bloom faded, a quick trim coaxed the catmint back into flower by midsummer."
Typically uncountable when discussing the plant generically; pluralized mainly when referring to distinct varieties or individual specimens.
"Several low-growing catmints work well as edging for a sunny border."
Despite the name, most garden catmint barely interests cats at all — it's their scruffier cousin, catnip, they go crazy for.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of catmint
The word catmint is a straightforward English compound of "cat" and "mint", formed because the plant belongs to the mint family and was historically linked with cats' attraction to its relative catnip. The term has been in use since at least the sixteenth century, appearing in early English herbal writings. The "mint" element ultimately traces back through Old English "minte" to Latin "menta" (or "mentha"), the classical name for the mint plant. Its closest lexical relatives are therefore other mint-family terms derived from the same Latin root, including "mint" itself and "menthol".
How catmint is actually used
Catmint is primarily used in gardening and horticultural contexts, where it names popular ornamental cultivars rather than the cat-attracting herb. It carries neutral to positive connotations, evoking cottage gardens and pollinator-friendly planting. In everyday speech it is often used interchangeably with catnip, though gardeners generally maintain the distinction.
Easily confused with catmint
Catnip is the specific species Nepeta cataria that cats find intoxicating, while catmint usually refers to ornamental garden nepetas such as Nepeta × faassenii, which are showier, more compact, and far less attractive to cats.
True mints belong to the genus Mentha and are culinary herbs, whereas catmint belongs to the related genus Nepeta and is grown chiefly as an ornamental plant.