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• Taxonomy
• Physical Description
• Distribution
• Landscaping
• Growth
• Similar Species
• Bibliography
• More Info
• Notes
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Taxonomy

Physical Description

Family Lamiaceae:

Herbs, sometimes subshrubs or shrubs, annual or perennial, usually aromatic. Stems and branches usually 4-angled. Leaves opposite, rarely whorled or alternate, simple to pinnately dissected or compound, without stipules. Inflorescences generally compound, sometimes flowers solitary and axillary; verticillasters 2- to many flowered, subtended by leaves or bracts. Flowers bisexual, zygomorphic, rarely subactinomorphic, bracteolate or not. Calyx persistent, 5-toothed, 2-lipped; upper lip 3-toothed or entire (deciduous in Scutellaria) ; lower lip 2- or 4-toothed; tube sometimes hairy annulate inside. Corolla limb usually 2-lipped; upper lip 2-lobed and lower 3-lobed, rarely upper lip entire and lower 4-lobed, also rarely limb (4- or) 5-lobed; tube hairy annulate inside. Stamens epipetalous, 4 or 2, free, rarely filaments connate, sometimes one staminodial; anther 1- or 2-celled, usually dehiscing longitudinally; disc persistent. Ovary superior, 2-celled and each cell 2-ovuled and style subterminal, or ovary 4-parted and each lobe 1-ovuled and style gynobasic (from bases of ovary lobes) with 2-cleft apex. Fruit usually 4 dry nutlets. Seeds with or without endosperm.

Approximately 3500 species in 220 genera, distributed worldwide, but mostly in the Mediterranean region and SW Asia. China has 807 species in 96 genera.^[1]

Genus Nepeta:

Subshrubs or perennial or annual herbs, usually aromatic, occasionally gynomonoecious or gynodioecious. Verticillasters in spikes or opposite cymes in racemes or panicles; floral leaves bractlike; bracts narrow, shorter than to longer than flowers. Calyx (13-) 15(-17) -veined, tubular or campanulate, slightly curved or straight, throat oblique or regular; limb 2-lipped or not; teeth 5, equal or unequal, subulate or narrowly lanceolate to oblong-triangular, apex acuminate to spiny-acuminate. Corolla 2-lipped; tube basally narrow, ± abruptly dilated into an ample throat; upper lip ± flat or concave, 2-lobed or emarginate; lower lip large, 3-lobed, with middle lobe larger, concave or ± flat, margin undulate or dentate; lateral lobes small, straight or reflexed, ovate to semicircular. Stamens 4, nearly parallel, glabrous, ascending under upper lip of corolla, posterior 2 longer than anterior, included or exserted, fertile; stamens of pistillate flowers rudimentary, included; anther cells 2, ellipsoid, divaricate, apex not confluent. Style exserted, apex subequally 2-cleft. Nutlets oblong-ovoid, ellipsoid, ovoid, or obovoid, adaxially slightly ribbed, smooth or warty.

About 250 species: temperate Asia, N Africa, and Europe, most abundant in the Mediterranean region and SW and C Asia; 42 species in China.^[2]

Habit: Mounding

Flowers: Spikes of small soft lavender-blue flowers in May, June, July, August. Attracts butterflies, hummingbirds, and bees. • Bloom Period: April, May, June, July, August, September. • Flower Color: blue-violet • Flower Conspicuous: Spikes with clusters of tubular flowers

Foliage: Compact, aromatic, gray-tinged foliage. • Foliage Shape: Ovate • Normal foliage color: Green • Underside foliage: Green • Juvenile foliage: Green • Mature foliage: Green • New foliage: Green • Spring foliage: Green • Summer foliage: Green • Fall foliage: Green

Images:

Distribution

Landscaping

Landscape Uses: Borders. Edging. • Care: Deer resistant. Drought tolerant once established. Cut back to promote heavy reblooming. Follow a regular watering schedule during the first growing season to establish a deep, extensive root system. As a ground cover, space plants 2` to 3` apart, (closer for faster coverage). Control weeds with mulch until the plants cover the area.

Growth

Culture: Space 18-24" apart.

Soil: Soil: Prefers well-drained soil. • Minimum pH: 6.1 • Maximum pH: 7.8

Sunlight: Sun Exposure: Full sun/part shade.

Moisture: Water Requirements: Water regularly, when top 3 in. of soil is dry.

Temperature: Heat Zones: High: 9 (>120 to 150 days) Low:1 (< 1 days) (map) • Cold Hardiness: 3a, 3b, 4a, 4b, 5a, 5b, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b. (map)

Similar Species

Members of the genus Nepeta:

There are approximately 802 species, subspecies, varieties, forms, and cultivars in this genus. Here are just 100 of them: N. amethystina laciniata · N. amethystina mallophora · N. amethystina microglandulosa · N. apulei oulmesiana · N. apulei pallescens · N. argolica dirphya · N. betonicifolia somkhetica · N. betonicifolia strictifolia · N. cataria verticillata · N. coerulea sanabriensis · N. cyanea biebersteiniana · N. glomerulosa carmanica · N. glomerulosa ghorana · N. glomerulosa stapfiana · N. italica cadmea · N. italica rigidula · N. italica troodi · N. juncea ghorana · N. mallophora microglandulosa · N. murcica toranzii · N. nepetella aragonensis · N. nepetella cordifolia · N. nuda coerulea · N. nuda latifolia · N. podostachys darwasica · N. podostachys paulsenii · N. racemosa crassifolia · N. racemosa haussknechtii · N. sibthorpii dirphya · N. sibthorpii malacotrichos · N. sibthorpii tumeniana · N. sibthorpii vourinensis · N. sulphurea lydiae · N. supina buschii · N. teucriifolia carmanica · N. teucriifolia daghestanica · N. tuberosa rivasgodayana · N. ucrainica kopetdaghensis · N. ucrainica schischkinii · N. ucranica parviflora · N. 'Ani' · N. 'Bide-a-Wee Variegated' · N. 'Blue Beauty' · N. 'Gottfried Kühn' · N. 'Leeds Castle' · N. 'Lilac Cloud' · N. 'Pink Dawn' · N. 'Porzellan' · N. 'Purple Blotch' · N. 'Rae Crug' · N. 'Six Hills Giant' · N. 'Thornbury' · N. 'Valerie Finnis' · N. 'Veluws Blauwtje' · N. abyssinica · N. acerosa · N. acinifolia · N. adenoclada · N. adenophyta · N. agrestis · N. alaghezi · N. alatavica · N. alba · N. alexeenkoi · N. algeriensis · N. alicae · N. alii · N. allotria · N. almeriensis · N. altissima · N. amani · N. amboinica · N. americana · N. amethystina · N. amethystina anticaria · N. amethystina subsp. anticaria · N. amethystina subsp. laciniata · N. amethystina subsp. mallophora · N. amethystina subsp. microglandulosa · N. amethystina var. anticaria · N. amethystina var. bourgaei · N. amicorum · N. amoena · N. anamurensis · N. andrica · N. angustifolia · N. annua · N. antiatlantica · N. apulei · N. apulei subsp. oulmesiana · N. apulei subsp. pallescens · N. apuleii · N. apuleji · N. aragonensis · N. aragonesis · N. archibaldii · N. argentea · N. arglonensis · N. argolica · N. argolica malacotrichos

Bibliography

• Wu Cheng-yih & Li Hsi-wen, eds. 1977. Labiatae. Fl. Reipubl. Popularis Sin. 65(2): 1-649, 66: 1-647.

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Notes

Contributors:

• American Plant Food Company, 7405 River Road, Bethesda MD.
• Behnke Nurseries, Potomac MD USA
• Brands, S.J. (comp.) 1989-2006. Systema Naturae 2000. The Taxonomicon. Universal Taxonomic Services, Amsterdam, The Netherlands. Accessed October 6, 2006.
• Merrifield Garden Center, Fairfax VA USA

Identifiers:

• Zipcode Zoo Species Identifier: 2150075

Footnotes:

1. Xi-wen Li & Ian C. Hedge "Lamiaceae". in Flora of China Vol. 17 Page 50. Published by Science Press (Beijing) and Missouri Botanical Garden Press. Online at EFloras.org.
2. "Nepeta". in Flora of China Vol. 17 Page 107. Published by Science Press (Beijing) and Missouri Botanical Garden Press. Online at EFloras.org.