Nepeta 'Six Hills Giant'

Nepeta x faassenii ‘Six Hills Giant’ produces masses of violet blue flowers at the ends of 3’ long arching stems clothed with gray-green aromatic foliage. This cultivar is more tolerant of moist soils that other taxa in this genus if grown in full sun. The flowers attract hummingbirds, the bruised foliage attracts cats and both repel rabbits and deer. The species, x faassenii, is the result of hybridization between Nepeta racemosa and N. nepetella and the offspring are sterile. Propagation is by cuttings or division of the clumps. The first use of the genus name for this group of plants was by Pliny, probably in reference to a place name (Nepi) in Italy. Nepeta’s are typically plants native to hot dry regions.