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The earliest flowering of Nepetas in our gardens, Early Bird Catmint starts blooming in early April and continues into early summer. It features abundant spikes of lavender-blue flowers that rise just above a dense, compact mound of gray-green foliage to 12 inches tall and 12 to 15 inches wide, making it a good fit for small garden spaces or containers. The flowers attract butterflies and beneficial pollinators as well as hummingbirds. Its aromatic foliage also attracts cats, hence the name. None of our cats have bothered the plant, but they like to nap beside it. Deer and rabbits turn their nose up at it. Long-lived and easy to care for, Early Bird is a fine choice for sunny perennial and herb gardens, in containers, and around patios and other outdoor living spaces where the pretty flowers, butterflies, and hummingbirds feeding on them can be enjoyed from up close.

Growing 10 to 12 inches tall and 12 to 15 inches wide, the Early Bird Catmint is ideal for a colorful accent in smaller garden spaces and containers, or in groupings or as a border in garden beds and along paths and walkways. Excellent around patios and other outdoor living spaces where the fragrance, the pretty flowers, and the butterflies and hummingbirds it attracts can be enjoyed from close up. A natural choice for herb gardens and a fine addition to perennial gardens, cottage gardens, butterfly and hummingbird gardens, beneficial pollinator gardens, coastal areas, fragrance gardens, blue theme gardens, and rock gardens. 

Growing Preferences

The Early Bird Catmint is easy to grow in moist, well-drained soil of average fertility and six or more hours of sunlight daily for the best flowering and overall performance. It will tolerate dry periods but flowers best with moist soil. It does not like constantly soggy or wet soil.

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