Should I let catnip flower?
Written by
Nguyen Minh
Reviewed by
Prof. Charles Hartman, Ph.D.Whether to let catnip flower involves weighing the benefits to pollinators versus the potency of the herb. If catnip flowers, it will attract bees and butterflies. Still, it will also decrease the concentration of essential oils in the leaves. The best option will depend on your landscaping goals. Consider your personal priorities before making this decision in your garden.
Pollinator Benefits
- Flowers attract bees increasing vegetable garden yields
- Butterflies visit blooms supporting local ecosystems
- Beneficial insects control garden pests naturally
Herb Potency
- Flowering reduces nepetalactone concentration by 30-40%
- Essential oils concentrate highest before blooming
- Early harvest preserves maximum scent and flavor
Seed Management
- Mature flowers produce seeds for future planting
- Deadheading prevents excessive self-seeding
- Collect seeds when pods turn brown
If you are harvesting leaves for teas or as cat toys and want to preserve essential oil concentration, you will want to trim early flower buds. If you plan to support pollinators or collect seeds, then let it flower. After it has flowered, deadhead any spent flowers once a week to help control its spreading. It self-seeds readily unless managed.
Managing self-seeding can be achieved by deadheading flowers before they mature into seed pods. Cut stems below spent blooms every week. Collect seeds carefully by placing bags over dried flower blooms. This can prevent unwanted self-seeding while saving those desired seeds to plant in the next season.
Emphasize flowering in designated pollinator gardens, or in areas that are large enough. In herb gardens, cutting flowers may reduce their maximum potency. Containers are a safe planting solution if you are concerned about being confined by spreading. Ultimately, you want to make your selections based on the primary purpose of a garden for your best results.
Read the full article: How to Grow Catnip: The Complete Guide
