Nepeta cataria L.
catnip
Lamiaceae (Mint family)

Introduction to Vascular Plants

Photograph

© Paul Handford     (Photo ID #68461)


Map

E-Flora BC Static Map

Distribution of Nepeta cataria
Click here to view the full interactive map and legend

Species Information

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.

SourceThe Illustrated Flora of British Columbia

Illustration

If more than one illustration is available for a species (e.g., separate illustrations were provided for two subspecies) then links to the separate images will be provided below. Note that individual subspecies or varietal illustrations are not always available.

Ecology

Ecological Framework for Nepeta cataria

The table below shows the species-specific information calculated from
original data (BEC database) provided by the BC Ministry of Forests and Range.
(Updated August, 2013)

Site Information
Value / Class

Avg

Min

Max

Elevation (metres)
615 560 740
Slope Gradient (%)
3 0 8

Aspect (degrees)
[0 - N; 90 - E; 180 - S; 270 - W]

194 164 252
Soil Moisture Regime (SMR)
[0 - very xeric; 4 - mesic;
8 - hydric]
4 4 5
Modal Nutrient Regime
Class
C
# of field plots
 species was recorded in:
5
Modal BEC Zone Class
IDF

All BEC Zones (# of stations/zone) species was recorded in

IDF(5)

Habitat and 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.

SourceThe Illustrated Flora of British Columbia