How can I identify catnip?

Question

There's this plant growing in my yard that looks a lot like catnip...I wonder if it is...Has a square stem, fuzzy graygreen heart shaped leaves...

My cat doesn't respond to a fresh leaf though.(not all do)....

How can I tell if it is catnip, or something like hedge nettle or Am. Germader? All I can tell is it's definately some mint relative!

Answer 1

The picture that person -------^^^  linked looks nothing like any catnip I ever saw!

If you smell it and it smells something like gasoline then it probably is catnip. I mean, it doesn't smell like gasoline but the smell reminds you of something from an oil well...

The catnip in my yard has pale pale lavender flowers growing from the tips and branches of the stems. Fresh catnip has a very distinct strong smell that mostly disappears when it dries.

Answer 2

It sounds like catnip - Nepeta species,  and there's a photo on the attached site that illustrates how it looks quite well:

http://www.magicgardenseeds.com/images/p...

There are quite a few varieties, ranging from dwarf plants to larger versions,  so height alone is not a good way to identify it, if you look for details on plant sites etc.  When your plant flowers it will further help you to confirm your ideas,  as the flowers are pretty distinctive.  They are a little nettle like, mostly in various shades of blue/

Perhaps try some leaf scent on some other cats, and see how they respond.  Mine chews the leaves, as well as going a little mad when she's around it - not all do, as you mentioned.

Hope this helps.  Good luck!   Rob

Answer 3

Dry it out and give it to a cat. If they roll in it and act all funny and stuff, it's catnip, if they walk away, it's not. Moth