Raceme catnip

Nepeta racemosa (syn. N. mussinii), known as raceme catmint, is an aromatic perennial herb in the mint family (Lamiaceae) native to the Caucasus, northern Iran and Turkey, where it grows on rocky slopes and montane grassland. It forms low, spreading, often grey-green mounds 20–45 cm tall with the square stems characteristic of the family. The small leaves are opposite, ovate to heart-shaped with toothed margins, softly hairy and strongly aromatic when crushed, releasing the minty scent shared by other catmints. From late spring through summer it bears abundant whorls of small, two-lipped flowers crowded into loose racemes, ranging from lavender-blue to violet and attractive to bees. It is one of the most widely grown ornamental catmints, valued for its long flowering and drought tolerance, and like other Nepeta species its volatile oils can attract cats.