Whispurr™ Blue Catmint
Nepeta x faassenii 'Balpurrlu'
Height: 28 inches
Spacing: 28 inches
Sunlight:
Hardiness Zone: 3b
Group/Class: Whispurr Series
Brand: Darwin Perennials
Description:
Lovely, large blue flowers bloom just above the nicely mounded, scented foliage from spring to summer; robust, with a well branched habit; excellent for containers, beds and borders; trim plants in mid-summer for repeat flowering in fall
Ornamental Features
Whispurr™ Blue Catmint has masses of beautiful spikes of lightly-scented sky blue flowers with lilac purple overtones and rose calyces rising above the foliage from mid spring to mid summer, which are most effective when planted in groupings. Its fragrant pointy leaves remain bluish-green in colour throughout the season.
Landscape Attributes
Whispurr™ Blue Catmint is a dense herbaceous perennial with a mounded form. Its relatively fine texture sets it apart from other garden plants with less refined foliage.
This plant will require occasional maintenance and upkeep, and is best cleaned up in early spring before it resumes active growth for the season. It is a good choice for attracting butterflies to your yard, but is not particularly attractive to deer who tend to leave it alone in favor of tastier treats. Gardeners should be aware of the following characteristic(s) that may warrant special consideration;
- Self-Seeding
Whispurr™ Blue Catmint is recommended for the following landscape applications;
- Mass Planting
- Border Edging
- General Garden Use
- Container Planting
Planting & Growing
Whispurr™ Blue Catmint will grow to be about 24 inches tall at maturity, with a spread of 22 inches. When grown in masses or used as a bedding plant, individual plants should be spaced approximately 28 inches apart. Its foliage tends to remain dense right to the ground, not requiring facer plants in front. It grows at a fast rate, and under ideal conditions can be expected to live for approximately 10 years. As an herbaceous perennial, this plant will usually die back to the crown each winter, and will regrow from the base each spring. Be careful not to disturb the crown in late winter when it may not be readily seen!
This plant does best in full sun to partial shade. It is very adaptable to both dry and moist locations, and should do just fine under typical garden conditions. It is not particular as to soil type or pH. It is highly tolerant of urban pollution and will even thrive in inner city environments. This particular variety is an interspecific hybrid. It can be propagated by division; however, as a cultivated variety, be aware that it may be subject to certain restrictions or prohibitions on propagation.
Whispurr™ Blue Catmint is a fine choice for the garden, but it is also a good selection for planting in outdoor pots and containers. It can be used either as 'filler' or as a 'thriller' in the 'spiller-thriller-filler' container combination, depending on the height and form of the other plants used in the container planting. It is even sizeable enough that it can be grown alone in a suitable container. Note that when growing plants in outdoor containers and baskets, they may require more frequent waterings than they would in the yard or garden.
Characteristics
Applications
Ornamental Features
