This delightful Japanese catmint has so many merits, we scarcely know where to begin! Both the foliage and the flowers are fragrant, for one thing. For another, it blooms the first year from seed, unlike most perennials. And unlike other species of Nepeta you may have grown, it is upright and nicely branched, rather than sprawling. Make it a centerpiece of your finest containers and sunny-to-partly-shaded garden areas this season.
Panther Dark Blue walked off with the bronze medal at Holland's prestigious planetarium competition in 2015, and one look at this delightful little plant tells you why. It is much more compact than the species, standing just 8 inches high and 10 inches wide. The foliage is bright green, glossy, and toothed, releasing a strong, heavenly fragrance from spring through fall. Even if it never set a bloom, Panther Dark Blue would be a plant to cherish in flowerpots and gardens.
Yet bloom it does, and such blooms they are! Medium to dark blue, these tubular flowers reach up to 2 inches long, held in nice clusters on the top of the plant. They, too, are fragrant, and you'll have plenty of opportunity to admire them, because they begin in early summer and go right through into early fall. The judges at the Planetarium competition praised Panther Dark Blue for its profuse and early flowering, and we think you'll be amazed by the flower power of this petite plant.
Panther Dark Blue is a magnet for butterflies and bees. Cats love it too, though not to the extent that they adore the groundcover species such as N. cataria. Still, if you are worried about them loving this plant to death, set a few upright twigs into the soil around the plant, to keep cats from flattening it.
Content in any well-drained soil receiving full sun to part shade, Panther Dark Blue is also a good choice for dry, shallow, and rocky soils. The roots are shallow, so you can establish this perennial in areas where some other plants will not thrive. Deer tend to leave it alonethe aroma is a deterrent to pests in the vegetable garden as well, so it is a good choice for open and woodland settings.
Panther Dark Blue is versatile, a delight for all the senses, and easy to grow. The seed can be direct-sown in spring, or you can begin it indoors in the Bio Dome, germinating at 60 to 70 degrees. Germination usually takes 7 to 21 days. When it's time to transplant the seedlings, give them a good hardening off, bringing them outdoors in a shaded, wind-free area for just a few hours at first, gradually increasing to overnight exposure before setting them outside permanently. After they find their feet, they are off and running in the garden or patio containers for years!
