Houston's favorite garden center devoted to Texas native plants and organic gardening.
Botanical name: Nepeta x faassenii ‘Walker’s Low’
Walker’s Low Catmint has masses of beautiful spikes of lightly-scented royal blue flowers with lavender overtones rising above the foliage from late spring to early fall, which emerge from distinctive rose flower buds, and which are most effective when planted in groupings. Its small fragrant pointy leaves remain grayish green in color throughout the season. The fruit is not ornamentally significant..
| Hardiness zone | 3a |
|---|---|
| Flower color | royal blue |
| Foliage type | deciduous * |
| Plant form | mounded |
| Mature height | 12 inches (16 inches with the flowers) |
| Spread | 12 inches |
| Light requirements | full sun to partial shade |
| Moisture requirements | dry to moist |
| Plant origin | hybrid |
* deciduous = loses leaves in winter
Walker's Low Catmint has masses of beautiful spikes of lightly-scented royal blue flowers with lavender overtones rising above the foliage from late spring to early fall, which emerge from distinctive rose flower buds, and which are most effective when planted in groupings. Its small fragrant pointy leaves remain grayish green in color throughout the season. The fruit is not ornamentally significant.
Walker's Low 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
Walker's Low Catmint is recommended for the following landscape applications;
Mass Planting, Border Edging, General Garden Use, Container Planting
Walker's Low Catmint will grow to be about 12 inches tall at maturity extending to 16 inches tall with the flowers, with a spread of 12 inches. 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.
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.
Walker's Low Catmint is a fine choice for the garden, but it is also a good selection for planting in outdoor pots and containers. It is often used as a 'filler' in the 'spiller-thriller-filler' container combination, providing a mass of flowers against which the thriller plants stand out. Note that when growing plants in outdoor containers and baskets, they may require more frequent waterings than they would in the yard or garden.
Our Monthly To-Do List For Your Garden
