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Which is catnip and which one is a weed?

Sandpaper Tongue

16 years ago

This is my first time growing catnip, and from the same pot and same packet of seeds I have two different looking plants growing. I've tried looking online but both look like catnip to me. Can I have two different looking types of catnip growing, or have I been nurturing a weed?

BTW, both cats were unimpressed by both types of leaves. I'm hoping they'll like the dried version, since that's what they usually go crazy for.

Catnip 1:

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Catnip 2:

{{gwi:908124}}

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Comments (12)

granite
16 years ago
can't help you...no pictures show up!
Sandpaper Tongue
Original Author
16 years ago
Catnip Suspect 1:
{{gwi:908159}}

Catnip Suspect 2:
{{gwi:908163}}
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I grew lemon balm from seed this year. (Good to know it goes crazy like all other mints, because maybe I don't want it growing right in the ground in my herb bed.) One of my cats kept killing one of the lemon balm plants. Drove me crazy - I kept replanting it, only to have it disappear within a day or two. Fortunately, I had a lot of them - had intended to give some as gifts. I had no idea what was getting to it. Finally one day, I caught her at it - aha! She was digging it up, rolling on it, etc. Does anyone know if it grows well from seed? It's vigorous, but I haven't made tea from the leaves yet. It does smell great. I just know the other mints aren't that great when grown from seed.
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neil_allen
16 years ago
Suspect #1 is the catnip. Suspect #2 looks like lamb's quaters, a fairly common weed in the Midwest, but it could be something else I'm not familiar with.
mellikat
16 years ago
Picture 1 is catnip. Try to rip a piece of the leaf and see what the cat does. Ripping and bruising the leaf brings out the smell more.
Sandpaper Tongue
Original Author
16 years ago
Thank you! Off to rip out the weeds now. I can't believe I've been nurturing that all this time.
CA Kate z9
16 years ago
I agree with those above. But, if your cats are still unimpressed with the leaves it is likely that you've been sold some other form of Nepeta.
josie23
16 years ago
#2 is Lambs Quarters as stated above. BUT....Lambs Quarters is edible. Throw it in your salad. It is a relative of spinach. I eat it in early spring before my lettuce/spinach is producing, then again in summer when the lettuce/spinach has bolted.
cougar67
16 years ago
I have 2 cats. The oldest one goes crazy over catnip (especially when it's fresh and on my clothes), and the youngest doesn't care for it (fresh or dried). But if your cat doesn't care for the homemade cantnip toys, try selling them (especially since you have a free stash).
fatamorgana2121
16 years ago
Not all cats react to catnip. I'm sure you can google around and find the exact percentage information on cats that are affected/not affected. In my experience, dried and fresh seem to sometimes have different reactions in cats as well.

Number 1 is definitely catnip. Did anyone else have a catnip explosion this year? Catnip grows wildly around my place and it was very vigorous and plentiful this year.

FataMorgana
Auntie_Clara
16 years ago
I have the plant in photo #1 growing wild in parts of my garden. I weed it often, and my cats adore me when I come inside. I bring them a bit from time to time, but it makes them drool and act pretty squirrely. I do have some nepata (cat mint)that I bought at a nursery. It is beautiful and does well in dry sunny areas. My cats ignore it. They like the "wild" stuff.
vera_eastern_wa
16 years ago
My neighbors cats LOVE my "other" Nepeta mussinii (canmint) just about as much as N. cataria (catnip).
But I agree, eat that Lambsquarter. In fact the nutritional content is even greater than spinach :D

Vera
herb_alpert
16 years ago
I just planted catnip this year in a raised area so i wont mind if it goes crazy in there...also its in the front yard in case the cats want to pay a visit.

will Lemon catnip spread as wildly as the original nepeta.

Lambsquarter is good...tried planted some...i hope there is still enough time for it to seed

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