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Photographer: Merel R. Black
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Family Lamiaceae
Nepeta cataria L.
catnip
Nepeta: the ancient Latin name of the aromatic plant catnip, thought to be derived from Nepeta, an ancient Etruscan city
cataria: Latin for "has to do with cats" from old Latin generic name cattus for "cats"
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| Status: | Introduced - naturalized |
| Plant: | erect, perennial, 18"-40" tall, very aromatic forb; stems square, branched toward the top; taprooted |
| Flower: | cream with pink or purple dots, 5-parted, 1/3" -2/3" long;  inflorescence rather loose, many-flowered, up to 2 1/2" whorls mostly terminal and/or separated on the stem; blooms July-Aug. |
| Fruit: | 1-seeded nutlet |
| Leaf: | opposite, coarsely toothed, covered with whitish fuzz, triangular, stalk half as long as the blade |
| Habitat: | dry; disturbed sites, woods |
| (Glossary) |
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