Zone 9 · winter lows 20°F to 30°F
Nepeta for Zone 9
7 Nepeta varieties rated hardy through Zone 9, ranked by how many gardeners actually grow them. Zone 9 is nearly year-round growing — heat tolerance matters more than cold.
The Nepeta that thrive in Zone 9
#1 most savedPicture Purrfect Catmint
Nepeta x hybrida 'Picture Purrfect'
#2 most savedJunior Walker Catmint
Nepeta faassenii 'Junior Walker'
#3 most savedLittle Trudy Catmint
Nepeta x hybrida 'Little Trudy'
Lesser Cat-mint
Nepeta nepetella
Catnip
Nepeta cataria
Early Bird Nepeta
Nepeta 'Early Bird'
Tuberous Catmint
Nepeta tuberosa
Nepeta in Zone 9
Will Nepeta survive a Zone 9 winter?
7 of the 28 Nepeta varieties in the Sow catalog are rated hardy through Zone 9, where winter lows reach 20°F to 30°F. Hardiness is per-variety, not per-genus — the plants listed above are the ones that hold up; others in the genus are not rated for this zone.
When should I plant Nepeta in Zone 9?
In Zone 9 the last spring frost typically lands around late February and the first fall frost around early December. Planting after the last frost — or in early fall, so roots establish before the ground cools — gives the best establishment. Each plant page lists its own planting months.
Which Nepeta is best for Zone 9?
Start at the top of the list above: it is ranked by how many gardeners actually save and grow each variety, which is a strong real-world reliability signal. Then narrow by your sun exposure and the mature size that fits the bed.
Keep exploring
See Nepeta in your Zone 9 yard
Snap a photo of your space and Sow places these varieties in it at true mature size — then keeps the care schedule for everything you plant.
