Description

Catnip – (Nepeta cataria) is a perennial plant of the Lamiaceae, or mint family. It is a native of Europe and Asia, but widely cultivated throughout the United States and Africa. It grows from 1-4 feet tall, with squared stems, tiny white to lavender flowers and silvery green, aromatic fuzzy leaves. By name and action, Catnip has earned a reputation primarily as an herb for cats: it’s widely grown by cat lovers and used as stuffing for cat toys, its scent proven to send felines into a purring, rolling, euphoric (sometimes biting!) frenzy. However, Catnip is a very important and useful herb for humans as well. The chemical compound nepetalactone that’s responsible for this somewhat crazed behavior in cats is believed to have a pleasantly calming effect on humans. Catnip can be particularly useful for the occasional digestive upset associated with nervousness, or “butterflies in the stomach”. Gentle enough for children, Catnip has a mildly minty flavor and makes a lovely bedtime or after dinner tea, particularly when paired with lavender and or chamomile.