Question regarding catnip vs catmint

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animzmirot - 09 Jun 2005 00:42 GMT

We've got a huge catmint plant in the garden. Ringo likes to lay down in it,
and fall fast asleep. He definately feels that this is HIS plant and if any
cat goes wandering through our yard (we have several acres of lawn very far
from any street, but we do have neighbors with cats) he can't wait to chase
them away so he can then lay back down in the catmint.

What I want to know is, is catmint the same thing as catnip, which I know is
also in the mint family? Catmint smells and tastes like mint, but it looks
like catnip. What's the difference?

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Sunflower - 09 Jun 2005 04:27 GMT

> We've got a huge catmint plant in the garden. Ringo likes to lay down in
> it,
[quoted text clipped - 10 lines]
> also in the mint family? Catmint smells and tastes like mint, but it looks
> like catnip. What's the difference?

Cat*nip* is nepeta cataria. Cat*mint* is nepeta musseni, or sometimes
nepeta fasseni. Same genus, but different species. Catmint is usually a
lot more decorative in the garden, and many different hybrid cultivars
exist. Catnip is a true species plant that comes true from seed. It's
pretty invasive really, when it comes to self sowing. Some cats like both
plants, some neither. Catnip has the stronger scented leaves and is the
ones that cats tend to respond more strongly to.

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blkcatgal - 09 Jun 2005 04:27 GMT

I think they are 2 different plants. I have both. For some reason my cat
loves the catmint....chews on the leaves. He's not as interested in the
catnip as catmint. He loves dried catnip....I wonder if fresh catnip is not
as appealing for cats as dried.

S.

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