Nepeta cataria - Catnip

Nepeta cataria is a PERENNIAL growing to 1 m (3ft 3in) by 0.6 m (2ft).
It is hardy to zone (UK) 3 and is not frost tender. It is in flower from Jul to November, and the seeds ripen from Sep to October. The flowers are hermaphrodite (have both male and female organs) and are pollinated by Bees.It is noted for attracting wildlife.
Suitable for: light (sandy) and medium (loamy) soils and prefers well-drained soil. Suitable pH: acid, neutral and basic (alkaline) soils and can grow in very alkaline soils.
It cannot grow in the shade. It prefers dry or moist soil.
General: Perennial herb from a taproot; white to greyish short-hairy throughout; stems clustered, erect, branched, 30-100 cm tall, 4-angled.
Leaves: Opposite, triangular egg-shaped and heart-shaped at base, 2.5-7 cm long, 1.5-5 cm wide, coarsely toothed, densely short-appressed-hairy beneath; stalked; uppermost leaves scarcely reduced.
Flowers: Inflorescence a short, dense, spike-like cluster of flowers, 2-8 cm long and 1.5-2.5 cm wide, at ends of main stem and branches, subtended by leaves or the upper by short linear bracts; corollas tubular, whitish with purple spots, 6-10 mm long, short-hairy outside, the upper lip erect, hooded, 2-lobed, the lower lip spreading, dotted with purple, 3-lobed, the lateral lobes small, the central lobe broad and minutely-scalloped; calyces tubular, 5-6 mm long, 15-veined, teeth awl-shaped, hairy, and shorter than tube.
Fruits: Nutlets, 4 clustered together, egg-shaped, smooth.

Habitat / Range
Mesic to dry waste places in the lowland and steppe zones; frequent throughout S BC, more common E of the Coast-Cascade Mountains; introduced from Europe.

Origin Status: Exotic

Catnip has diuretic properties and may increase amount and frequency of urination. Smoking catnip can produce euphoria and visual hallucinations. Sedation. Women with inflammatory diseases of the pelvis or are pregnant should not use. Care if using and driving or using machines [301].

Edible Uses
Young leaves - raw[7, 20]. A mint-like flavour, they make an aromatic flavouring in salads[7, K]. Older leaves are used as a flavouring in cooked foods[2, 27, 105]. They can be used fresh or dried to make an aromatic herb tea[21, 105, 183]. The tea should be infused in a closed container in order to preserve the essential oils, boiling is said to spoil it[218].
Other Uses
The plant is said to deter insects such as ants and flea beetles[14, 20, 201] as well as rats and mice[4, 200, 201]. (The idea behind it being a rat repellent is probably based on the plants attraction to cats, see notes above.) A strong infusion can be used to repel fleas from carpets or the fur of animals[201]. An extract from the leaves (called nepetalactone) has herbicidal and insect repellent properties[222]. The freshly harvested flowering tops contain 0.3 - 1% essential oil by distillation[218]. It is mainly used for medicinal purposes[218]. The dried leaves retain their fragrance and can be used in pot-pourri[245].

According to Krochmal and Krochmal (1973), Native Americans living in the Appalachians smoked the dried leaves and stalks of this species to relieve respiratory problems. T e Shinnecock of Long Island, New York, smoked dried catnip leaves in a pipe to treat rheumatism (Carr and Westey 1945). [UAPDS]
Medicinal Uses
Catmint has a long history of use as a household herbal remedy, being employed especially in treating disorders of the digestive system and, as it stimulates sweating, it is useful in reducing fevers[254]. The herbs pleasant taste and gentle action makes it suitable for treating colds, flu and fevers in children. It is more effective when used in conjunction with elder flower (Sambucus nigra)[254]. The leaves and flowering tops are strongly antispasmodic, antitussive, astringent, carminative, diaphoretic, slightly emmenagogue, refrigerant, sedative, slightly stimulant, stomachic and tonic[4, 7, 9, 14, 21, 165, 218, 238]. The flowering stems are harvested in August when the plant is in full flower, they are dried and stored for use as required[4]. An infusion produces free perspiration, it is considered to be beneficial in the treatment of fevers and colds[4]. It is also very useful in the treatment of restlessness and nervousness, being very useful as a mild nervine for children[4]. A tea made from the leaves can also be used[213]. The infusion is also applied externally to bruises, especially black eyes[245].

Erowid User Report:Catnip is worth the try if you will be satisfied with a very mild buzz, somewhat similar to marijuana. Do so if you wish, I had a pleasureable experience with it. You should use dried leaves and it should be smoked. Note that I used 'cosmic catnip' which comes in plastic containers with crumbled up leaves. You can buy this stuff at some pet stores.[1] [Erowid]
I've been using catnip for a long, long time now. It's a good cheap smoking mixture and a great substrate for herb powders and freebases. I'd have to say it's one of my favorite herbs to play with. I don't smoke pot at all. From what I've heard from other people who do use pot, catnip is like a lighter version of it.[2] [Erowid]

Medicinal
Medicinal Parts: The medicinal parts are the dried foliage, stems, leaves and flowers.
Production: Calamint is the above-ground part of Calamintha nepeta. It is collected in the wild.
ACTIONS AND PHARMACOLOGY
COMPOUNDS
Volatile oil (0.35%: including pulegone, menthone, menthol and its ester, P-bisobolen, cineol, thymol
Triterpenes: including calaminthadiol, ursolic acid
EFFECTS
The drug is a diaphoretic and expectorant.
INDICATIONS AND USAGE
Unproven Uses: Calamint has been used for febrile colds and respiratory diseases. The drug is also used in folk medicine for hiccups, tinnitus, as a diuretic and for stomach complaints.
PRECAUTIONS AND ADVERSE REACTIONS
No health hazards or side effects are known in conjunction with the proper administration of designated therapeutic dosages.

Lore
Cats “are much delighted with catmint, for the smell of it is so pleasant unto them, that they rub themselves upon it, and wallow and tumble into it, and also feed on the branches very greedily” (Gerard).
Rats, on the other hand, hate it. Plant it thickly round the walls of a rat-infested house, and they will soon be cleared (Quelch). It was once believed that chewing the plant created quarrelsomeness (Dyer. 1889), or rather, courage. There was also a legend that the hangman could never pereform his duty until he had chewed a root of catmint (Genders. 1971).
Pillows are stuffed with the dried leaves, for the smell is supposed to help the sleepless (Sanford), just as catmint tea, infused from the dried herb, is helpful in fevers, for producing quiet sleep, and for nervous headaches (Brownlow). The tea was also given for stomach-ache, especially for babies with colic (R B Browne, Stout, H M Hyatt). They say in Alabama that “catnip tea is good for baby’s head” (R B Browne). This tea has even been given in cases of pneumonia (Sanford), herbalists still recommend it for chronic bronchitis (Schauenberg & Paris), and it is taken for a cold in Ireland, the instructions being to boil catmint and drink the water (Maloney). It has been used as a jaundice remedy (Barton & Castle), and a hot poultice of catmint leaves is applied to a boil (R B Browne).

Propagation Seed - best sown as soon as it is ripe in a cold frame in the autumn[200]. The germination of spring sown seed can be erratic[200], it is best sown in a cold frame. Prick out the seedlings into individual pots when they are large enough to handle and plant them out into their permanent positions in the summer. The seed remains viable for about 5 years[4]. A fast-growing plant, the seedlings can reach flowering size in their first year[238]. If you have sufficient freshly ripe seed then it is well worth trying a sowing outdoors in situ in the autumn. Division in spring or autumn[200]. Very easy, large divisions can be planted out direct into their permanent positions. We have found that it is better to pot up the smaller divisions and grow them on in light shade in a cold frame until they are well established before planting them out in late spring or early summer. Basal cuttings in late spring or early summer. Harvest the shoots with plenty of underground stem when they are about 8 - 10cm above the ground. Pot them up into individual pots and keep them in light shade in a cold frame or greenhouse until they are rooting well. Plant them out in the summer.
Cultivation Easily grown in a light sandy soil in a sunny position[200]. Succeeds in heavier soils if the drainage is very good. Plants are hardy to about -25°c[187]. Catmint emits a scent that is irresistible to many cats, who will then avidly attack the plant[4, 7, 20, 46, 200]. The smell is said to be similar to certain cat hormones and is more effective with male cats. Quite often a cat will completely destroy even a fairly large plant, small plants especially might need protection until well established[K]. Sometimes grown in the herb garden, there are some named varieties[183]. 'Citriodora' has lemon-scented leaves that are more attractive to people and less attractive to cats[183, 187]. If the plants are cut back hard when they are flowering a second crop of leaves will be produced[238]. Members of this genus are rarely if ever troubled by browsing deer or rabbits[233]. Catmint is a good companion plant to grow in the garden[238]. It is said to repel various cabbage pests, aphis (including peach aphis), flea beetles, cucumber beetles, squash bugs and ants from plants they grow near to[238]. The flowers are very attractive to bees[108].
Synonyms
Cataria vulgaris. Calamintha albiflora. Glechoma cataria. Nepeta mollis.

References

• http://linnet.geog.ubc.ca/Atlas/Atlas.aspx?sciname=Nepeta%20cataria&redblue=Both&lifeform=7 [Accessed: 3/27/2015]
• http://www.pfaf.org/user/Plant.aspx?LatinName=Nepeta+cataria, Accessed March 27, 2015

NEPETA

John M. Miller & Dieter H. Wilken

[Annual], perennial herb, glabrous to hairy. Stem: erect, generally branched. Leaf: generally petioled. Inflorescence: axillary or terminal, head- or spike-like, occasionally panicle, flower clusters subtended by leaves or bracts. Flower: calyx ± radial, ± 15-veined, lobes generally ± equal; corolla 2-lipped, upper lip ± 2-lobed, < lower, hood-like, lower lip 3-lobed, central lobe > lateral lobes; stamens 4, enclosed by or exceeding upper lip. Fruit: nutlets smooth to rough.
± 250 species: Eurasia, Africa. (Latin: ancient name for catnip) [Jamzad et al. 2003 Taxon 52:21–32]

Local Species;

1. Nepeta cataria - Catnip

References

• 2013. Nepeta, in Jepson Flora Project (eds.) Jepson eFlora, http://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/cgi-bin/get_IJM.pl?tid=9472, accessed on Feb 19 2015