| Author | Content |
buttercup99
Waterloo, ON
(Zone 5a)
May 17, 2009
10:25 AM Post #6559731
| I love the look of Walker's Low catmint but I have enough trouble with neighborhood cats.
Does anyone know what plant has similar color, blooming season, height etc. without actually growing catmint? |
gcorrier
Lenoir City, TN
May 17, 2009
10:49 AM Post #6559844
| Not sure what catmint looks like but you might try the stepables website if you are looking for ground cover. Multiple options with many different looks. I have several types and plan to get more. |
NatureLover1950
Vicksburg, MS
(Zone 8a)
May 17, 2009
11:54 AM Post #6560084
| Lavender would be pretty and I think it would grow well in your neck of the woods. Also some of the salvias would look nice. |
vadap
Aurora, CO
(Zone 5b)
May 20, 2009
09:03 AM Post #6573987
| Caryopteris 'Dark Knight", a blue mist spirea. I started mine last year from a 4" container and it got to 3'. Good to zone 5. Absolutely covered in little, blue flowers. Warning though, bees love it. And it needs good drainage, so clay soils aren't so good. |
flowerjen
central, NJ
(Zone 6b)
May 20, 2009
11:24 AM Post #6574520
| I second the lavender suggestion. |
plantfreak78
Rolesville, NC
(Zone 7b)
May 20, 2009
12:16 PM Post #6574738
| I'd like to point out that catmint (Nepeta faassenii) and catnip (Nepeta cataria) are two different species of plant and that catmint does not attract cats. There are plenty of neighborhood cats that hang out in my backyard and my Walker's Low has remained untouched. |
flowerjen
central, NJ
(Zone 6b)
May 20, 2009
01:46 PM Post #6575069
| http://www.azarius.net/encyclopedia/12/Catmint/ |
plantfreak78
Rolesville, NC
(Zone 7b)
May 22, 2009
01:16 PM Post #6583425
| You're right flowerjen. I should believe random websites from the Netherlands over my own personal experiences. My mistake. |
flowerjen
central, NJ
(Zone 6b)
May 22, 2009
02:01 PM Post #6583568
| So sorry, I just picked one of the MANY websites that says that it does attract cats...all the sites state that when the stems are broken it releases the aroma that attracts cats. |
Chezca
Hayward (Z8b-9a), CA
(Zone 8b)
May 22, 2009
02:16 PM Post #6583613
| Oh you guys :) be nice! Here, I googled catmint/catnip and got tons of results:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nepeta
I t does say that both attract cats, something about smelling like pheromones? And it also says that SOME cats are immune to it so it doesn't attract certain cats... BUT me no expert.:)
Now that's just one. I don't know if it's 100% or even 1% correct but we can always cross-check :)
Oh and yes, I think lavender is a nice replacement for it. I usually can't tell them apart at the nursery unless I get close to them!:)
happy gardnin! |
ecrane3
Dublin, CA
(Zone 9a)
May 22, 2009
05:15 PM Post #6584287
| I've never done any research on the subject, but I have Nepeta 'Blue Wonder' and although my neighbors' cats spend a good deal of time in my yard, they have never shown any interest in it, so you could consider giving it a try.
If you want something else that looks similar, I worry about lavender in eastern zone 5a. There aren't that many that are hardy in zone 5, and even for the ones that are hardy, in wetter climates unless they have perfect drainage it is very easy to lose them over the winter, so I think they would prove to be fairly short-lived for you. I would consider one of the spiky Veronicas or something like Salvia 'May Night' instead, those have a similar look and I think they would be better choices for your climate. |
buttercup99
Waterloo, ON
(Zone 5a)
May 24, 2009
02:38 PM Post #6591549
| Thanks for all of your suggestions.
I know I've seen some beautiful lavender
growing in the area. |
ecrane3
Dublin, CA
(Zone 9a)
May 24, 2009
02:56 PM Post #6591611
| They can be grown in your area, you just have to be careful and put them in a spot that gets really good drainage if you want them to come back reliably. Catmint, Veronica, and salvia would be a little less finicky, that's why I suggested them instead |
flowerjen
central, NJ
(Zone 6b)
June 11, 2009
02:21 PM Post #6673957
| Quoted by ge1836 on the northeast forum
| Quoted: | Just witnessed an attroceous act.
My cat,rubbing his fat self into the Walkers Low( catmint means just that)
Then in a drunken stooper he wandered to the Buddleah and the Phlox David and rubbed against some of the stems that broke off.
I guess those will be the ONLY nepetes I invest in. |
|
Jeannie63
Mequon, WI
(Zone 4b)
June 24, 2009
12:04 PM Post #6732047
| plantfreak, *my* own personal experience is that my cat Thor responds to catmint almost as much as he does to catnip. |
pollyk
Hannibal, NY
(Zone 6a)
June 24, 2009
01:57 PM Post #6732601
| My cats totally ignore the catmint. But I traded some with another gal here on DG, and she said her cats love it to the point of intoxication. |
dcartphoto
Fort Dodge, IA
June 25, 2009
08:12 PM Post #6738996
| It must depend on the cat or maybe even what else is growing? I planted 4 walkers low this year and my barn cat and her kittens, and all the ferals stay out of it - however we also have a LOT of wild catnip growing around here so maybe they are all just used to the smell??? |
cyclops101
Wakefield, RI
June 27, 2009
01:07 PM Post #6745688
| Have you seen the new dwarf Buddleia Blue Chip. I have seen only one growing in the ground and it looked great.
It has woody stems and will not flop like Nepeta and I think the color is nicer also. I believe it is hardy to zone 5. |
dcartphoto
Fort Dodge, IA
June 28, 2009
10:01 AM Post #6748897
| Russian sage is pretty also http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/733/ or http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/56166/ |
