Cat Thyme

Cat Thyme (Teucrium marum) is a small aromatic Mediterranean sub-shrub that settles at about 30cm tall and 40cm across, small enough for a rockery pocket or a shallow pot. Grey green foliage releases a sharp herbal scent when brushed, and pink to purple flower spikes bring bees through summer. Cats respond to it much as they do to catnip, and it is not toxic to cats or dogs.

Why you'll love it

• A catnip alternative that is safe to plant. Cats are drawn to the foliage, and it is not toxic to cats or dogs.
• Aromatic on contact. The scent releases when brushed, so it earns a spot beside a path rather than the back of a bed.
• Small enough for tight spaces. At roughly 30cm by 40cm it fits a rockery crevice, a courtyard pot or the front of a border.
• Genuinely low water. Drought tolerant, heat tolerant and content in poor soil once established.

Where it works best

Rockeries and gravel gardens. Sharp drainage between stones suits it exactly. Set plants about 40cm apart, roughly their mature width, for a continuous low run.

Pots and containers. A 200mm to 300mm pot of gritty free draining mix lets you control drainage, and lets you lift the plant out of reach if a cat gets enthusiastic.

Borders and small gardens. Use it at the front of a dry sunny bed with lavender or rosemary, where it gives scent and flower without taking floor space.

Growing cat thyme in Australia

Position and climate. Full sun with plenty of air movement. It suits Mediterranean, warm temperate and arid or semi-arid gardens, which covers Adelaide, Perth, inland New South Wales and much of Victoria. It takes light frost only, so in cold districts grow it in a pot that shifts to a sheltered wall over winter. Humid summer rainfall areas are the harder ask: warm wet nights kill it long before cold does.

Soil. Drainage is not negotiable. Plant into gritty, sandy or rocky ground, or raise the bed and mix through coarse sand. Poor soil is fine; rich soil makes it soft and short lived.

Water and feed. Water weekly through the first summer, then only in prolonged dry spells. A light scatter of complete fertiliser in early spring is plenty, and excess nitrogen dilutes the scent.

Pruning. Shear lightly after flowering to keep the mound tidy and stop the centre going woody. Avoid cutting into bare old wood, which is slow to reshoot.

What to expect when it arrives

Cat thyme is grown here as tube stock, so it arrives as a small rooted plant a few centimetres across rather than a filled out bush. That is the sensible way to buy it: young Mediterranean shrubs establish faster than older stock pushed into fresh ground. Expect the full 40cm spread within two seasons and usually first flowers in the first summer.

Plants are packed upright and delivered Australia wide, with delivery from $29.95. If you have cats, a wire cloche over the plant for the first month lets it root in undisturbed. Every plant carries our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.

Plant care guides and related reading

• A guide to fragrant plants for Australian gardens
• Browse plants suited to rockeries
• See the full range of plants safe for pets
• Compare other drought tolerant choices

Common questions

Is cat thyme actually safe for cats and dogs?

Yes. It is not toxic to cats or dogs, which is why it is used as a catnip alternative. Cats may roll on it or chew the foliage, and an established plant recovers from that.

Will my cat destroy the plant?

A determined cat can flatten a young plant. Protect it with a low wire guard for the first month or two, and once the root system is down it takes the attention in its stride.

Can I grow it in a pot?

It is one of the better plants for a pot, because you control the drainage. Use a 200mm to 300mm container with free draining mix, an empty saucer and full sun.