Grow Catnep Lemon – A Fragrant Multi-Purpose Herb for Tea and Pollinators

Catnep Lemon is a highly versatile herb, appreciated for its refreshing citrus scent and delicate soft green leaves. While often grouped with other catnips, this variety is better known for its culinary and herbal uses than for attracting cats. It’s a favourite for making soothing herbal teas and adds a gentle lemon flavour to salads and desserts. In summer, clusters of small pale flowers bloom, offering a valuable nectar source for bees, butterflies, and other pollinators.

Catnep Lemon also has a place in wildflower planting schemes, combining ornamental beauty with benefits to wildlife.

Growing Catnep Lemon

Catnep Lemon grows best in full sun to partial shade and prefers well-drained soil. It is suitable for herb beds, borders, containers, or wildflower areas.

Sowing and Planting

Sowing Period: Sow seeds indoors from February to April or directly outdoors from April to June.
Soil Preparation: Prepare a fine, well-drained seedbed, removing any stones or debris.
Sowing Depth: Sow seeds 0.5 cm deep into moist soil.
Spacing: Sow thinly and thin seedlings to 15 cm apart once established.
Germination: Expect seedlings to emerge within 7–14 days in warm conditions.

Care and Maintenance

Watering: Keep the soil consistently moist during establishment. Once established, water moderately.
Weeding: Keep the area free of weeds to reduce competition for nutrients.
Thinning/Dividing: Divide plants every 3–4 years if required to maintain plant vigour.

Picking

Timing: Begin picking leaves once plants are well established, usually from early summer.
Method: Use scissors to snip leaves as needed, which will also encourage fresh growth.
Storage: Leaves can be used fresh or dried for later use.

Culinary, Herbal, and Garden Uses

Catnep Lemon offers a refreshing lemon flavour and a wide range of uses:

• Herbal teas: Leaves brew into a soothing lemon-flavoured tea, often used to support relaxation and digestion.
• Salads and desserts: Young leaves add citrus notes to salads and desserts.
• Wildflower gardens: An attractive addition that supports bees, butterflies, and other beneficial insects.
• Vitamin content: Contains small amounts of vitamins A and C, contributing to general wellness.
• Traditional uses: Historically valued for its calming properties and mild natural insect-repelling abilities.
• General garden interest: Its light, airy flowers blend beautifully in mixed planting schemes.