title: Nepeta
text: Nepeta is a genus of flowering plants in the family Lamiaceae. The genus name, from Latin  (“catnip”), is reportedly in reference to Nepete, an ancient Etruscan city. There are about 250 species.
  
  The genus is native to Europe, Asia, and Africa, and has also naturalized in North America.
  
  Some members of this group are known as catnip or catmint because of their effect on house cats – the nepetalactone contained in some Nepeta species binds to the olfactory receptors of cats, typically resulting in temporary euphoria.
  
  Description 
  Most of the species are herbaceous perennial plants, but some are annuals. They have sturdy stems with opposite heart-shaped, green to gray-green leaves. Nepeta plants are usually aromatic in foliage and flowers.
  
  The tubular flowers can be lavender, blue, white, pink, or lilac, and spotted with tiny lavender-purple dots. The flowers are located in verticillasters grouped on spikes; or the verticillasters are arranged in opposite cymes, racemes, or panicles – toward the tip of the stems.
  
  The calyx is tubular or campanulate, they are slightly curved or straight, and the limbs are often 2-lipped with five teeth. The lower lip is larger, with 3-lobes, and the middle lobe is the largest. The flowers have 4 hairless stamens that are nearly parallel, and they ascend under the upper lip of the corolla. Two stamen are longer and stamens of pistillate flowers are rudimentary. The style protrudes outside of the mouth of the flowers.
  
  The fruits are nutlets, which are oblong-ovoid, ellipsoid, ovoid, or obovoid in shape. The surfaces of the nutlets can be slightly ribbed, smooth or warty.
  
  Selected species 
   Some species formerly classified as Nepeta are now in the genera Dracocephalum, Glechoma, and Calamintha .
  
  Species include:
  
  Nepeta adenophyta Hedge
  Nepeta agrestis Loisel.
  Nepeta alaghezi Pojark.
  Nepeta alatavica Lipsky
  Nepeta algeriensis Noë
  Nepeta amicorum Rech.f.
  Nepeta amoena Stapf
  Nepeta anamurensis Gemici & Leblebici
  Nepeta annua Pall.
  Nepeta apuleji Ucria
  Nepeta argolica Bory & Chaub.
  Nepeta assadii Jamzad
  Nepeta assurgens Hausskn. & Bornm.
  Nepeta astorensis Shinwari & Chaudhri
  Nepeta atlantica Ball
  Nepeta autraniana Bornm.
  Nepeta azurea R.Br. ex Benth.
  Nepeta badachschanica Kudrjasch.
  Nepeta bakhtiarica Rech.f.
  Nepeta ballotifolia Hochst. ex A.Rich.
  Nepeta balouchestanica Jamzad & Ingr.
  Nepeta barfakensis Rech.f.
  Nepeta baytopii Hedge & Lamond
  Nepeta bazoftica Jamzad
  Nepeta bellevii Prain
  Nepeta betonicifolia C.A.Mey.
  Nepeta binaloudensis Jamzad
  Nepeta bodeana Bunge
  Nepeta × boissieri Willk.
  Nepeta bokhonica Jamzad
  Nepeta bombaiensis Dalzell
  Nepeta bornmuelleri Hausskn. ex Bornm.
  Nepeta botschantzevii Czern.
  Nepeta brachyantha Rech.f. & Edelb.
  Nepeta bracteata Benth.
  Nepeta brevifolia C.A.Mey.
  Nepeta bucharica Lipsky
  Nepeta caerulea Aiton
  Nepeta caesarea Boiss.
  Nepeta campestris Benth.
  Nepeta camphorata Boiss. & Heldr.
  Nepeta × campylantha Rech.f.
  Nepeta cataria L.
  Nepeta cephalotes Boiss.
  Nepeta chionophila Boiss. & Hausskn.
  Nepeta ciliaris Benth.
  Nepeta cilicica Boiss. ex Benth.
  Nepeta clarkei Hook.f.
  Nepeta coerulescens Maxim.
  Nepeta concolor Boiss. & Heldr. ex Benth.
  Nepeta conferta Hedge & Lamond
  Nepeta congesta Fisch. & C.A.Mey.
  Nepeta connata Royle ex Benth.
  Nepeta consanguinea Pojark.
  Nepeta crinita Montbret & Aucher ex Benth.
  Nepeta crispa Willd.
  Nepeta curviflora Boiss.
  Nepeta cyanea Steven
  Nepeta cyrenaica Quézel & Zaffran
  Nepeta czegemensis Pojark.
  Nepeta daenensis Boiss.
  Nepeta deflersiana Schweinf. ex Hedge
  Nepeta densiflora Kar. & Kir.
  Nepeta dentata C.Y.Wu & S.J.Hsuan
  Nepeta denudata Benth.
  Nepeta dirmencii Yild. & Dinç
  Nepeta discolor Royle ex Benth.
  Nepeta distans Royle
  Nepeta duthiei Prain & Mukerjee
  Nepeta elliptica Royle ex Benth.
  Nepeta elymaitica Bornm.
  Nepeta erecta (Royle ex Benth.) Benth.
  Nepeta eremokosmos Rech.f.
  Nepeta eremophila Hausskn. & Bornm.
  Nepeta eriosphaera Rech.f. & Köie
  Nepeta eriostachya Benth.
  Nepeta ernesti-mayeri Diklic & V.Nikolic
  Nepeta everardii S.Moore
  Nepeta × faassenii Bergmans ex Stearn
  Nepeta flavida Hub.-Mor.
  Nepeta floccosa Benth.
  Nepeta foliosa Moris
  Nepeta fordii Hemsl.
  Nepeta formosa Kudrjasch.
  Nepeta freitagii Rech.f.
  Nepeta glechomifolia (Dunn) Hedge
  Nepeta gloeocephala Rech.f.
  Nepeta glomerata Montbret & Aucher ex Benth.
  Nepeta glomerulosa Boiss.
  Nepeta glutinosa Benth.
  Nepeta gontscharovii Kudrjasch.
  Nepeta govaniana (Wall. ex Benth.) Benth.
  Nepeta graciliflora Benth.
  Nepeta granatensis Boiss.
  Nepeta grandiflora M.Bieb.
  Nepeta grata Benth.
  Nepeta griffithii Hedge
  Nepeta heliotropifolia Lam.
  Nepeta hemsleyana Oliv. ex Prain
  Nepeta henanensis C.S.Zhu
  Nepeta hindostana (B.Heyne ex Roth) Haines
  Nepeta hispanica Boiss. & Reut.
  Nepeta hormozganica Jamzad
  Nepeta humilis Benth.
  Nepeta hymenodonta Boiss.
  Nepeta isaurica Boiss. & Heldr. ex Benth.
  Nepeta ispahanica Boiss.
  Nepeta italica L.
  Nepeta jakupicensis Micevski
  Nepeta jomdaensis H.W.Li
  Nepeta juncea Benth.
  Nepeta knorringiana Pojark.
  Nepeta koeieana Rech.f.
  Nepeta kokamirica Regel
  Nepeta kokanica Regel
  Nepeta komarovii E.A.Busch
  Nepeta kotschyi Boiss.
  Nepeta kurdica Hausskn. & Bornm.
  Nepeta kurramensis Rech.f.
  Nepeta ladanolens Lipsky
  Nepeta laevigata (D.Don) Hand.-Mazz.
  Nepeta lagopsis Benth.
  Nepeta lamiifolia Willd.
  Nepeta lamiopsis Benth. ex Hook.f.
  Nepeta lasiocephala Benth.
  Nepeta latifolia DC.
  Nepeta leucolaena Benth. ex Hook.f.
  Nepeta linearis Royle ex Benth.
  Nepeta lipskyi Kudrjasch.
  Nepeta longibracteata Benth.
  Nepeta longiflora Vent.
  Nepeta longituba Pojark.
  Nepeta ludlow-hewittii Blakelock
  Nepeta macrosiphon Boiss.
  Nepeta mahanensis Jamzad & M.Simmonds
  Nepeta manchuriensis S.Moore
  Nepeta mariae Regel
  Nepeta maussarifii Lipsky
  Nepeta melissifolia Lam.
  Nepeta membranifolia C.Y.Wu
  Nepeta menthoides Boiss. & Buhse
  Nepeta meyeri Benth.
  Nepeta micrantha Bunge
  Nepeta minuticephala Jamzad
  Nepeta mirzayanii Rech.f. & Esfand.
  Nepeta mollis Benth.
  Nepeta monocephala Rech.f.
  Nepeta monticola Kudr.
  Nepeta multibracteata Desf.
  Nepeta multicaulis Mukerjee
  Nepeta multifida L.
  Nepeta natanzensis Jamzad
  Nepeta nawarica Rech.f.
  Nepeta nepalensis Spreng.
  Nepeta nepetella L.
  Nepeta nepetellae Forssk.
  Nepeta nepetoides (Batt. ex Pit.) Harley
  Nepeta nervosa Royle ex Benth.
  Nepeta nuda L.
  Nepeta obtusicrena Boiss. & Kotschy ex Hedge
  Nepeta odorifera Lipsky
  Nepeta olgae Regel
  Nepeta orphanidea Boiss.
  Nepeta pabotii Mouterde
  Nepeta paktiana Rech.f.
  Nepeta pamirensis Franch.
  Nepeta parnassica Heldr. & Sart.
  Nepeta paucifolia Mukerjee
  Nepeta persica Boiss.
  Nepeta petraea Benth.
  Nepeta phyllochlamys P.H.Davis
  Nepeta pilinux P.H.Davis
  Nepeta podlechii Rech.f.
  Nepeta podostachys Benth.
  Nepeta pogonosperma Jamzad & Assadi
  Nepeta polyodonta Rech.f.
  Nepeta praetervisa Rech.f.
  Nepeta prattii H.Lév.
  Nepeta prostrata Benth.
  Nepeta pseudokokanica Pojark.
  Nepeta pubescens Benth.
  Nepeta pungens (Bunge) Benth.
  Nepeta racemosa Lam.
  Nepeta raphanorhiza Benth.
  Nepeta rechingeri Hedge
  Nepeta rivularis Bornm.
  Nepeta roopiana Bordz.
  Nepeta rtanjensis Diklic & Milojevic
  Nepeta rubella A.L.Budantzev
  Nepeta rugosa Benth.
  Nepeta saccharata Bunge
  Nepeta santoana Popov
  Nepeta saturejoides Boiss.
  Nepeta schiraziana Boiss.
  Nepeta schmidii Rech.f.
  Nepeta schugnanica Lipsky
  Nepeta scordotis L.
  Nepeta septemcrenata Ehrenb. ex Benth.
  Nepeta sessilis C.Y.Wu & S.J.Hsuan
  Nepeta shahmirzadensis Assadi & Jamzad
  Nepeta sheilae Hedge & R.A.King
  Nepeta sibirica L.
  Nepeta sorgerae Hedge & Lamond
  Nepeta sosnovskyi Askerova
  Nepeta souliei H.Lév.
  Nepeta spathulifera Benth.
  Nepeta sphaciotica P.H.Davis
  Nepeta spruneri Boiss.
  Nepeta stachyoides Coss. ex Batt.
  Nepeta staintonii Hedge
  Nepeta stenantha Kotschy & Boiss.
  Nepeta stewartiana Diels
  Nepeta straussii Hausskn. & Bornm.
  Nepeta stricta (Banks & Sol.) Hedge & Lamond
  Nepeta suavis Stapf
  Nepeta subcaespitosa Jehan
  Nepeta subhastata Regel
  Nepeta subincisa Benth.
  Nepeta subintegra Maxim.
  Nepeta subsessilis Maxim.
  Nepeta sudanica F.W.Andrews
  Nepeta sulfuriflora P.H.Davis
  Nepeta sulphurea C. Koch
  Nepeta sungpanensis C.Y.Wu
  Nepeta supina Steven
  Nepeta taxkorganica Y.F.Chang
  Nepeta tenuiflora Diels
  Nepeta tenuifolia Benth.
  Nepeta teucriifolia Willd.
  Nepeta teydea Webb & Berthel.
  Nepeta tibestica Maire
  Nepeta × tmolea Boiss.
  Nepeta trachonitica Post
  Nepeta transiliensis Pojark.
  Nepeta trautvetteri Boiss. & Buhse
  Nepeta trichocalyx Greuter & Burdet
  Nepeta tuberosa L.
  Nepeta tytthantha Pojark.
  Nepeta uberrima Rech.f.
  Nepeta ucranica L.
  Nepeta veitchii Duthie
  Nepeta velutina Pojark.
  Nepeta viscida Boiss.
  Nepeta vivianii (Coss.) Bég. & Vacc.
  Nepeta wettsteinii Heinr.Braun
  Nepeta wilsonii Duthie
  Nepeta woodiana Hedge
  Nepeta yanthina Franch.
  Nepeta yesoensis (Franch. & Sav.) B.D.Jacks.
  Nepeta zandaensis H.W.Li
  Nepeta zangezura Grossh.
  
  Gallery
  
  Uses
  
  Cultivation 
  Some Nepeta species are cultivated as ornamental plants. They can be drought tolerant – water conserving, often deer repellent, with long bloom periods from late spring to autumn. Some species also have repellent properties to insect pests, including aphids and squash bugs, when planted in a garden.
  
  Nepeta species are used as food plants by the larvae of some Lepidoptera (butterfly and moth) species including Coleophora albitarsella, and as nectar sources for pollinators, such as honey bees and hummingbirds.
  
  Selected ornamental species
   Nepeta cataria (catnip, catswort) – the "true catnip", cultivated as an ornamental plant, has become an invasive species in some habitats.
   Nepeta grandiflora (giant catmint, Caucasus catmint) – lusher than true catnip and has dark green leaves and dark blue flowers.
   Nepeta × faassenii (garden catmint) – a hybrid of garden source with gray-green foliage and lavender flowers. It is drought-tolerant and deer-resistant.  The cultivar 'Walker's Low' was named Perennial of the Year for 2007 by the Perennial Plant Association.
   Nepeta racemosa (raceme catnip) – commonly used in landscaping. It is hardy, rated for USDA hardiness zone 5b.
  
  References
  
  Further reading
  
  External links 
  
   GRIN Species Records of Nepeta
   [http://www.efloras.org/browse.aspx?flora_id=110&start_taxon_id=122138 Flora of Nepal: Nepeta']
   Drugs.com: Catnip
    "Nepetalactone: What is in catnip anyway?"
   HowStuffWorks, Inc.: How does catnip work?
   Sciencedaily.com: "Catnip Repels Mosquitoes More Effectively Than DEET" – reported at the 2001 American Chemical Society meeting''.
  
   
  Lamiaceae genera
  Perennial plants
  Cat attractants
  Drought-tolerant plants
  Herbs
  Medicinal plants
  Garden plants of Africa
  Garden plants of Asia
  Garden plants of Europe
  Taxa named by Carl Linnaeus