Cat-mint - Nepeta cataria

The corolla is tubular, 2-lipped, and normally whitish, though sometimes it is blue-violet. The light green stems are finely pubescent and 4-angled. The leaves are heart-shaped, toothed, grey-green colour and hairy beneath.

Either obtain confirmation from a County Recorder before submitting a record, or submit detailed images showing key features.  We recommend that you take and retain a specimen; the County Recorder may wish to see this for confirmation.  (RPR)

Usually encountered as an escape from cultivation and often on roadsides or in hedgerows near to habitation.

In flower during July, August and September.

Rhizomatous perennial.

England Red List: Vulnerable

[Widespread as an escape from cultivation].

Rare or rarely recorded in the wild in Leicestershire and Rutland.

In the Flora of Leicestershire (Primavesi & Evans, 1988)  it was found in 1 of the 617 tetrads, and was present in 4 tetrads in the Flora of Rutland (Messenger, 1971)

It is on the current VC55 Rare Plant Register (Hall and Woodward, 2022) as Locally Rare (recent records from limestone areas: Empingham and Bloody Oaks; older records from Ryhall, Tickencote and Knipton). Outside these areas it has occasionally appeared as an introduction or escape form cultivation.