Common Name:

General Information

Nepeta italica ia a herbaceous perennial plant forming a tuft of erect to ascending, usually branched stems around 20 - 90cm tall[, ].
The plant is harvested from the wild for local use as a medicine. It is sometimes grown as an ornamental.

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

,

Range

Southern Europe (Italy) and western Asia - Turkey, Lebanon, Syria and Iraq

Habitat

Quercus forests, rocky limestone, and volcanic slopes, dried stream beds, shady banks, roadsides; at elevations from 500 - 1,900 metres in Iraq[].

Properties

Medicinal Rating
Habit	Perennial
Height	0.50 m
Pollinators	Bees, Insects
Cultivation Status	Ornamental, Wild

Cultivation Details

Nepeta species generally grow best in a sunny position and a well-drained soil. Many are found in poor soils in the wild, and have a bushier growth habit in more fertile soils[].

Edible Uses

None known

Medicinal

The leaves are used for the treatment of flu, bronchitis and cold[].

Other Uses

None known

Propagation

Seed - best sown in the autumn, in situ if possible. Germination of spring sown seed can be erratic[]. The seed is best sown in a cold frame. Prick out the seedlings into individual pots when they are large enough to handle and plant them out into their permanent positions in the summer.
Division of clumps in the autumn or spring, when the plant is dormant or just coming into growth[].
Stem tip or softwood cuttings can be taken in the spring or early summer[].