Description
Lemon catnip (Nepeta cataria var. citriodora) is a variety of catnip in the mint family (Lamiaceae), notable for its fresh lemon scent rather than the musky aroma of common catnip. It grows similarly, with soft, grey-green heart-shaped leaves and white flowers, but the fragrance makes it especially appealing for teas, potpourri, and insect repellent uses.
Like other nepetas, it prefers full sun to part shade and well-drained soils. Hardy to frost in New Zealand, it grows 60–90 cm tall and 60 cm wide, and may self-seed in favourable conditions.
Medicinally, lemon catnip can be used much like regular catnip — as a calming tea for digestion and relaxation — but with the added brightness of its lemony oils. It is also valued as a natural insect repellent, particularly against mosquitoes. Cats may or may not respond to it as strongly as they do common catnip.
