Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Shrub
Herbs
Origin
United States, Southeastern United States, South-Central United States, Texas, Mexico
Europe, Asia
Types
-
Nepeta cataria
Number of Varieties
220
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Cultivated Beds
Dry areas, Roadsides, stream banks, Stream side, Waste areas
USDA Hardiness Zone
8-113-7
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
11-7
7-1
Sunset Zone
H1, 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
Upright/Erect
Clump-Forming
Plant Size
Minimum Height
90.00 cm980.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
60.00 cm60.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Red, Magenta, Orange Red
White, Lavender
Flower Color Modifier
-
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Brown, Red
Sandy Brown
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Blue Green
Gray Green, Gray
Leaf Color in Summer
Green, Blue Green
Gray Green, Gray
Leaf Color in Fall
Green, Blue Green
Gray Green, Gray
Leaf Color in Winter
-
Light Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Arrowhead
Arrowhead
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall
Spring, Summer, Fall
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Growth Rate
Fast
Fast
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Clay, Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Early Summer, Summer, Late Summer
Summer, Late Summer, Early Fall
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought
Drought, Dry soil
Where to Plant?
Ground, Pot
Container, Ground
How to Plant?
Seedlings
Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Low
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Average Water Needs
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
Loam, Sand
Clay, Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Pruning
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Prune if you want to improve plant shape, Prune in spring, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead leaves
Fertilizers
Apply 10-10-10 amount
fertilize every 2-3 weeks while growing, fertilize in growing season
Pests and Diseases
-
Caterpillars, Leaf Hoppers, Nematodes, Spider mites
Plant Tolerance
Drought
Drought, Frost
Flowers
Showy
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
Hummingbirds
Flying insects, Insects, Spider Mites
Allergy
Toxic
Avoid during Pregnancy, Headache, Stomach pain, Vomiting
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Borders
Beautification, Landscape Designing, Showy Purposes
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Antiemetic, Diuretic, Purgative, Tonic
Arthritis, Cold, constipation, Fever, Insomia, Migraines, Upset stomach
Part of Plant Used
Flowers, Leaves
Whole plant
Other Uses
Used as a general tonic, Used as a rat poison, Used as a vegetable
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
Feature Plant, Foundation, Mixed Border, Rock Garden, Wall, Wildflower
Container, Herb / Vegetable, Mixed Border
Botanical Name
ERYTHRINA herbacea
NEPETA cataria
Common Name
Red cardinal, Cardinal spear
Cat Nip, Catnip
In Hindi
Red Cardinal
कटनीप
In German
Red Cardinal
Katzenminze
In French
Cardinal rouge
cataire
In Spanish
Cárdenas
Catnip
In Greek
κόκκινο Καρδινάλιος
Είδος δυόσμου
In Portuguese
Cardeal vermelho
catnip
In Polish
Red Cardinal
Kocimiętka
In Latin
Cardinalis Rubrum
catnip
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Fabales
Lamiales
Family
Fabaceae
Lamiaceae
Genus
Erythrina
Nepeta
Clade
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Tribe
Phaseoleae
Mentheae
Subfamily
Faboideae
Nepetoideae
Number of Species
10250
1
27800
👆🏻