Catnip, anyone?
Can ya help a brotha out?
I’m looking for some catnip. I’d prefer to have a whole plant. If you have wild catnip growing in your yard, or know of a place where there is definitely catnip growing, please let me know. I’m trying not to go and buy seed, because it’s getting too late in the growing season to establish a plant from seed.
While riding the Jamaica bike trail yesterday I kept my eyes peeled for the plant, but never saw any. Not even in Wilderness Park. Which is really odd, because that stuff grows like a weed (I mean, it basically is … a weedy herb).
I didn’t find catnip yesterday, but I did find some wild hops. Oh yeah!!! I’m going back later today to dig up the rhizome. I thought I could propogate the plant from just stealing the vine … that was before I learned it was a rhizome. The vine can’t be propogated unless it’s still attached to the mother crown. (You bury a vine under soil and keep it moist — has to be attached to the main plant — it’ll eventually turn into a rhizome itself. Then it can be cut into 4″ segments; make sure each segment has a root, and there ya go!)
my buddy is growing some hops. 3 diff varieties. just started them this year so he has none to share rhizome wise. But he will use them all for his homebrew for sure.
Never seen catnip before.
Comment by beerorkid — August 20, 2007 @ 2:33 pm
hmmmmmm……
It looks so much like mint. I know I have seen it out in wilderness in the fall. Even taken pics of it in the fall or spring cuz the flowers were so purdy.
I think I saw some on the NW corner of 13th and K. I was waiting to get picked up for lunch and saw it looked like mint. Rubbed the leaves and smelled. Did not smell like anything.
Comment by beerorkid — August 20, 2007 @ 2:37 pm
guess it was not catnip I saw out there.
purple flower
Comment by beerorkid — August 20, 2007 @ 2:39 pm
nope, that’s definitely not catnip.
but yes, it does look like mint. they’re in the same family actually. and there’s also catmint or Nepeta faassenii which most cats don’t like, yet some strange cats love it over catnip or Nepeta cataria.
Catmint has larger leaves and beautiful “blue-bonnet” type flowers, it’s very “minty.” Catnip has smaller leaves, and it’s flowers are kind of ugly and blah-white… it has a very pungent scent that ALL cats love. it’s very intoxicating to cats … which is why i need to find some.
my cats need a little “fix” at night before i want to go to bed. at first cats acts crazy after “hitting” the ‘nip; but then they pass out and sleep (which is a good thing for me at night!) LOL!
Comment by jake rhymes with cake — August 20, 2007 @ 3:32 pm
found out my cats really really really hate peppermint. as i have a plant growing on my belcony. i thought they might like it because catnip is in the same family. NOPE! it burns they’re little eyes, and they squish up their faces and bat at it with their paws. they hate it. absolutely hate it. LOL!
i’ll just start putting in places i don’t want them to go. lol.
Comment by jake rhymes with cake — August 20, 2007 @ 3:35 pm