Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Tree
Herbs
Origin
Mediterranean
Europe, Asia
Types
California bay leaf, Indian bay leaf or malabathrum, Indonesian bay leaf
Nepeta cataria
Number of Varieties
120
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Forest edges, Hillside
Dry areas, Roadsides, stream banks, Stream side, Waste areas
USDA Hardiness Zone
8-113-7
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-1
7-1
Sunset Zone
5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
1a, 1b, 2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Pyramidal
Clump-Forming
Plant Size
Minimum Height
150.00 cm980.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
150.00 cm60.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Yellow green
White, Lavender
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Black
Sandy Brown
Leaf Color in Spring
Dark Green
Gray Green, Gray
Leaf Color in Summer
Dark Green
Gray Green, Gray
Leaf Color in Fall
Dark Green
Gray Green, Gray
Leaf Color in Winter
Dark Green
Light Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Linear
Arrowhead
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer, Fall
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Growth Rate
Medium
Fast
Type of Soil
Clay, Loam, Sand
Clay, Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Spring
Summer, Late Summer, Early Fall
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought
Drought, Dry soil
Where to Plant?
Ground
Container, Ground
How to Plant?
Seedlings, Stem Planting
Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Low
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Requires regular watering
Do Not over Water, Never Over-water, Requires regular watering, Water when soil is dry
In Summer
Lots of watering
Lots of watering
In Spring
Moderate
Moderate
In Winter
Average Water
Average Water
Soil
Soil pH
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Type
Clay, Loam, Sand
Clay, Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Pruning
Prune in summer, Prune in the late winter or spring, Remove damaged leaves, Remove shoots
Prune if you want to improve plant shape, Prune in spring, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead leaves
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
fertilize every 2-3 weeks while growing, fertilize in growing season
Pests and Diseases
Red blotch
Caterpillars, Leaf Hoppers, Nematodes, Spider mites
Plant Tolerance
Drought
Drought, Frost
Flowers
Insignificant
Showy
Flower Petal Number
Single
Single
Fruits
Showy Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Edible Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrance
Fragrant Flower
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Leaf
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Bark/Stem
✔
✘
✔
✘
Showy Foliage
✔
✘
✔
✘
Showy Bark
✔
✘
✔
✘
Foliage Texture
Medium
Medium
Foliage Sheen
Matte
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Birds
Flying insects, Insects, Spider Mites
Allergy
Asthma
Avoid during Pregnancy, Headache, Stomach pain, Vomiting
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
-
Beautification, Landscape Designing, Showy Purposes
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
anti-allergy, Arthritis, Bronchitis, Headache, Muscle Pain, Pain killer
Arthritis, Cold, constipation, Fever, Insomia, Migraines, Upset stomach
Part of Plant Used
Fruits, Leaves
Whole plant
Other Uses
Cosmetics, Oil is used for aromatherapy, Oil is used in perfume, soaps, creams, etc., Used As Food
Air freshner, Decoration Purposes, Employed in herbal medicine, Making Perfumes, Making Shampoo, Making Sweet Scented Oil, Medicinal oil, Used as Ornamental plant, Used for its medicinal properties
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Container, Feature Plant, Foundation, Hedges, Herb / Vegetable, Mixed Border, Topiary / Bonsai / Espalier
Container, Herb / Vegetable, Mixed Border
Botanical Name
LAURUS nobilis
NEPETA cataria
Common Name
Bay Laurel, Sweet Bay
Cat Nip, Catnip
In Hindi
bay laurel
कटनीप
In German
Lorbeer
Katzenminze
In French
laurier
cataire
In Spanish
laurel
Catnip
In Greek
δάφνη
Είδος δυόσμου
In Portuguese
louro
catnip
In Polish
wawrzynu
Kocimiętka
In Latin
sinus laurus
catnip
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
-
Magnoliophyta
Class
-
Magnoliopsida
Order
Laurales
Lamiales
Family
Lauraceae
Lamiaceae
Genus
Laurus
Nepeta
Clade
Angiosperms, Magnoliids
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Tribe
-
Mentheae
Subfamily
-
Nepetoideae
Number of Species
3250
1
27800
👆🏻