Catnip
A plant with a long summer flowering and abundant nectar much loved by honey bees; on roadsides and around villages it is a useful source in the summer dearth.
- Nectar
- Good
- Pollen
- Medium
- Flowering
- JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
- Height
- 0,4-1 m
- Life cycle
- Perennial
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A plant of village surroundings, roadsides, field margins and ruins in Europe, Anatolia and western-central Asia, which has also spread to North America. Beekeeping sources count it among the good honey plants; honey bees easily reach the nectar in its white flowers with short corolla tubes. Its pollen contribution is moderate.
Flowering
It flowers for a long time from June to September; if cut back, it reshoots and flowers again. Secretion is good in hot, sunny weather; it is fairly drought-tolerant.
Honey and pollen
No commercial honey is produced under its name; it contributes to mixed late-summer honeys.
Note for the beekeeper
It is an easy, self-seeding plant for bee gardens and apiary surroundings. Its scent attracts cats, which may flatten the plant in the garden. In Turkish the name kedi otu is also used for Valeriana officinalis, so identification should rely on the Latin name. It is widespread in North America as a garden escape; in Europe it is not invasive.