Lemon Purrfection Catmint

Light Needs

Full Sun

(At Least 6 Hours Of Direct Sunlight)

Mature Height

10-12 Inches

Mature Spread

18-24 Inches

Growing Zones

4 to 9

Lemon Purrfection Catmint provides color before the flowers even open, thanks to gold foliage that stays bright all summer. It forms a compact 10–12 inch mound that spreads 16–18 inches. Lavender-blue blooms start early and keep coming for a long season of pollinator activity. It’s a more refined choice than many yellow-leaved catmints because the habit stays dense and doesn't open up in the middle. Our designers use it as a front edge because it looks clean from spring into fall, even when the border gets busy.

This Nepeta hybrid was bred for a tidy, mounded form with fragrant foliage and stems that handle heat far better than most early-season bloomers. The leaf color leans more chartreuse with extra shade, but the plant still flowers well as long as it gets several hours of direct sun. Deer and rabbits usually leave catmint alone, while bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds visit the flower spikes. It’s a smart fit for gravelly borders, hot curb strips, and container mixes where you need a low-maintenance filler.

Lemon Purrfection Catmint Care

Plant Lemon Purrfection Catmint in full sun for the strongest gold foliage and the tightest growth. Use average to lean soil that drains quickly, with a neutral to alkaline pH (about 7.0 and up) and no standing water after rain. If your soil is heavy clay, mound the planting area or amend with grit and compost so roots don’t stay saturated.

Water regularly the first few weeks, and shift to “soak and let it dry” once established. When the foliage starts to look slightly dull or the stems feel less springy, it’s time to water. Fertilizer is optional in decent garden soil, and too much can soften growth, so a light compost top-dress in spring is plenty. Catmint dies back for winter and returns from the crown in spring.

Shear Lemon Purrfection Catmint by about a third right after the first big flush to spark fresh flowering and keep the mound crisp. If it gets leggy late summer, a second, lighter trim tidies it up and often triggers another round of blooms as nights cool. In colder zones, leave the last bit of growth through winter for crown protection, then cut back hard in early spring.

Lemon Purrfection Catmint Spacing

Space plants 16–18 inches apart for a continuous edge that still has airflow. In containers, step up to a pot around 12–14 inches wide so the rootball can dry evenly between waterings.

For landscape companions, pair Lemon Purrfection Catmint with yarrow and tickseed to echo the long-bloom season and provide different flower forms. For container companions, try sweet potato vine spilling over the rim and artemisia for extra foliage contrast when you want the pot to stay showy between bloom waves.

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