Kotovnik is a perennial herb with beautiful flowers, a wonderful aroma and many useful properties. It belongs to the family Labretaceae (Lamiaceae) and is widespread throughout the Northern Hemisphere. The scent of catnip attracts cats, so it is also called "catnip." In addition to this name, in various regions it is called "non-naughty", "field balm", "sore grass" or "matoshnik". In the natural environment, catnip prefers meadows, light forests and mountain slopes. It lends itself well to cultivation and becomes an excellent decoration of a personal plot.
Botanical Description
Kotovnik has a highly branched, lignified rhizome. Above the ground is a tall stalk with lateral processes. Shoots have an erect or lodging shape. The bush can grow 25-100 cm in height. On the stem and petioles there is a dense pubescence. Oval leaves are opposite. They are oval or heart-shaped with a serrated edge.
In mid-June, spike inflorescences bloom at the ends of the shoots. Asymmetric buds are painted in lilac, purple or white. Purple and violet dots are present on the pharynx and lip. After pollination of flowers, the fruits ripen - seed boxes. Each contains rounded nuts with a smooth brown surface. If the catnip is mowed after flowering, then by the end of August a second wave of flowering will come.
During the growing season and flowering, various essential oils are synthesized in the plant, so at different times the smell of catnip is different. In the spring, it smells of geranium or roses, and later a pronounced lemon aroma appears.
Types of catnip
The genus of catnip unites more than 250 species of plants. All of them are suitable for cultivation in culture, but most often only a few species are found in gardens.
Catnip. Erect, branched stems of the plant reach a height of 0.4-1 m. They are covered with a brownish fleecy bark. Egg-shaped leaves 2-8 cm long are painted in bright green color. Corymbose loose inflorescences consist of white buds with purple spots. The diameter of the corolla is 0.7-1 cm. The plant has a spicy lemon aroma and is very popular with feline representatives. The variety suffers from severe frosts, but is quickly restored due to abundant self-seeding.
Fassen's Catcher. A herbaceous plant up to 30 cm high is covered with light green narrow leaves. Differs in unpretentious character. During the period of prolonged flowering (June-September) it is abundantly covered with dirty white flowers.
Catman Mussini. A short, ground cover form with a height of not more than 20 cm. The pubescent stems hide under wide bright green leaves. Long lavender inflorescences bloom in June and persist until frost. They exude an intense mint flavor.
Lemon cattle. The height of the densely leafy shrub is 40-100 cm. Erect, stiff stems are covered with velvety pubescence. Bluish leaves of a heart-shaped form grow 2-8 cm in length. Bluish-purple two-lipped flowers are collected in spike-shaped inflorescences, their petals are covered with purple dots.
Catnip large-flowered (Siberian). Erect stems 0.6-1 m high covered with short pubescence. They have oblong-lanceolate light green leaves 5-15 cm long. Loose spike-shaped inflorescences consist of purple cups with a diameter of 2.5-3.5 cm.
Breeding methods
Reproduction of catnip is possible by seed and vegetative methods. Seeds due to low germination are best sown on seedlings. At the end of March, sand-peat soil is prepared in greenhouses or crates. For sowing, grooves are made with a depth of 1 cm at a distance of 5-8 cm from each other. The first shoots appear 6-7 days after planting, but not uniformly. Until 4-5 true leaves grow, seedlings develop very slowly. Then seedlings should be peaked in separate peat or plastic pots. By the fiftieth day, the height of seedlings reaches 10 cm, which means that the seedlings are ready for transplanting into open ground. Between rows it is necessary to observe a distance of 60-70 cm, and between bushes - 20-40 cm.
Large plants during the spring can be divided. To do this, they are completely dug up and carefully release the rhizome from an earthen coma. The roots are separated by hands, each split must contain several points of growth. Seedlings are immediately planted in a new place. Before planting, the soil is well dug and fertilized.
Landing and care
Land for catnip begins to prepare in the fall. It is necessary to choose a place with light and fertile soil. The designated area is dug up and fertilizer is applied. In each m² of land used:
- compost (up to 3 kg);
- ammonium nitrate (15-20 g);
- superphosphate (20-30 g);
- potassium sulfate (5-10 g).
After the snow melts, the soil is thoroughly loosened and seedlings are planted. In the southern regions, crops can be sown immediately in open ground before winter or early spring.
Caring for catnip does not require much effort. An unpretentious plant is actively growing, so you have to make sure that it does not leave the allotted territory.
The plant develops better in well-lit areas or in a small shade. It is not afraid of drafts and daily temperature drops. Watering should be moderate. In severe drought, catnip slows growth, although it retains decorativeness. But with regular flooding of the soil, the roots rot.
After flowering, it is recommended to trim to half the height of the shoots. In just a month they will grow significantly and by September, flowering will repeat.
In snowy, not too severe winters, the catnip can be left without shelter. If severe frosts are expected, it is better to cover the thickets with fallen leaves and spruce branches. In spring, vegetation is fertilized with mineral compounds with a high nitrogen content. On fertile soils, regular feeding is not necessary. If necessary, you can fertilize the plant once a month with a small portion of mineral or organic fertilizers.
Catnip is resistant to plant diseases and pests. Powdery mildew may develop in rainy weather. Sometimes cicadas settle on bushes. Insects do not do much harm to the plant. If preparation of medicinal raw materials is expected, treatment with chemicals should be avoided.
Composition and medicinal properties
Ground parts of catnip contain a large amount of essential oils and bioactive substances. Among them:
- geraniol;
- citronellol;
- citral;
- limonene;
- tannins;
- vitamins;
- sugar.
The highest concentration of beneficial components is achieved during the flowering period. It is then that they produce raw materials.
The range of useful properties of catnip is very large. It is used not only in folk, but also in official medicine. Catnip preparations have bactericidal, stimulating, restorative, diuretic, soothing effects. The crushed grass is dried and used to prepare decoctions.
It is important to remember that catnip has not only useful properties, but also contraindications. It can not be used during pregnancy or breastfeeding, as well as in the presence of allergies and tachycardia.
Using catnip
- In the garden. Dense thickets of catnip with blue-purple flowers are widely used in landscape design. Low plants form a continuous fragrant carpet. High species are planted along fences, paths, or on combined flower beds. The best neighbors for catnip are lavender, sage, geranium, iris, yarrow, stonecrops, oregano, decorative onions and others.
- On the kitchen. Young shoots of catnip are eaten as a fragrant seasoning for sauce or salad. Also, the plant is used in a marinade for fish, in confectionery and homemade alcoholic beverages.
- In the cosmetic and perfumery industries. Catnip essential oil can be found on store shelves in its purest form. It is also added to cosmetics for skin and hair care, as well as toilet water.
