Comments on: Nepeta ‘Walker’s Low’

By: Mireille

Mireille — Wed, 06 Oct 2010 17:41:08 +0000

Effects on cats
Catnip and catmints are mainly known for the behavioral effects they have on cats, not only domestic cats but big cats also (lions, tigers, leopards, etc.).[9] When cats sense the bruised leaves or stems of catnip, they may roll over it, paw at it, chew it, lick it, leap about and purr, or heavily salivate. Some will growl, meow, scratch, or bite the hand holding it. Some cats will eat dried catnip. Often, eating too much can cause cats to be overtly aggressive, typically making them hiss.

A domestic cat demonstrating the effects of catnip such as rolling, pawing, and friskingAbout two thirds of cats are susceptible to catnip.[10] The phenomenon is hereditary; for example, most Australian cats do not react to it.[11] There is some disagreement about the susceptibility of lions and tigers to catnip.[11]

Catnip has nepetalactone, a terpenoid. Nepetalactone can be extracted from catnip by steam distillation.[12] Cats detect it through their olfactory epithelium, not through their vomeronasal organ.[13] At the olfactory epithelium, the nepetalactone binds to one or more olfactory receptors where it probably mimics a cat pheromone, such as the hypothetical feline facial pheromone or the cat urine odorant MMB.[citation needed]

Other plants that also have this effect on cats include valerian (Valeriana officinalis) and plants that contain actinidine or dihydroactinidiolide (Smith, 2005).

By: kells

kells — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 23:56:32 +0000

Wow–I love WALKERS LOW but it does self-seed and billiously spread like something from a sci-fi movie. I mean, a person could be more cursed in life I guess–by classification Nepeta *walkers low* is pretty much ever-blooming, it’s no maintenance, drought tolerant once established, pest free and a fab replacement for the european LAVENDER look if the short period of lavender bloom is a point of contention for you…. I think because it’s so easy to divide and also because the wee starlings are so easy to transplant I will have my own spring ‘perrennial divisions’ plant sale–Hell, why not spread the low maintenance high reward love?

By: marie974

marie974 — Sun, 29 Jul 2007 16:56:23 +0000

It’s very beautifull and does not exist here.

By: marie974

marie974 — Sun, 29 Jul 2007 16:56:21 +0000

It’s very beautifull and does exist here.

By: Carol

Carol — Mon, 01 Jan 2007 22:17:26 +0000

Your description of that ‘high’ cat was too funny. I have some catmint but haven’t noticed it attracting cats… wait there is that one cat I see in the mornings…

By: Kim

Kim — Sat, 30 Dec 2006 18:55:48 +0000

Lol… I got a kick out of your post. Sounds like the neighborhood cats were probably disappointed once their favorite “dealer” went out of business. :)

By: beth lawrence

beth lawrence — Sat, 30 Dec 2006 02:18:40 +0000

I planted Nepeta in a customers garden in Toronto and mulched the entire area with shredded Cedar mulch. Within 2 years it had spread so voraciously i had to pull it out. This isn’t very common where the soil is not mulched, but if you have new lovely top soil beware. I find that clay soils are the best for controlling the spread. Which we have plenty of in Toronto. I love the scent,and the flowers last for weeks and sometimes months. A huge fan in the right spot.