Catnip – just an ornamental perennial with colorful labial flowers? Are you kidding me? Are you serious when you say that! This herb has it all. It can be used for many purposes and even has medicinal ingredients.
How can I use catnip?
The uses of catnip include uses for cats, for protection against vermin, as a medicinal herb in the form of tea, for relaxation when incense and smoking, and for seasoning dishes with aromatic varieties such as 'Odeur Citron' or 'Grog'.
Catnip for cats
The most common use of catnip is obvious: True to its name, it is often used to charm cats. Cats are seduced by their scent. Many owners of these cats use the essential oil of catnip or the plant itself. They add the catnip to cat toys or drizzle the oil on cat furniture such as scratching posts.
Catnip against pests
Catnip can also be used against mosquitoes. The essential oils it contains keep mosquitoes away as they are repelled by the smell. All you need to do is, for example, put a plant in a pot from the balcony in the bedroom overnight or spread the catnip oil in diluted form on the body.
In the garden and immediately next to less resistant plants such as roses or herbs such as parsley, catnip protects against pest infestation. Pests such as aphids and ants are effectively kept away. Only snails remain unimpressed by their smell.
Catnip for humans
Since catnip is non-toxic, it can be used e.g. B. be brewed into tea. In doing so, she develops her healing powers. To make a tea, 2 tablespoons of the dried herb are poured into 250 ml of boiling water. The tea helps, among other things:
- Upset stomach
- Lack of appetite
- Infections
- Depression
- Insomnia
- Nervousness
- Fever
The dried leaves can also be used for incense and smoking. When smoked, they release a relaxing effect on the body. Therefore, catnip leaves are often used as a legal substitute for marijuana.
Last but not least, the edible leaves and flowers of catnip can be used to flavor dishes. The varieties with a lemon aroma such as 'Odeur Citron' and 'Grog' are particularly recommended. They can be used for sweet dishes such as ice cream, pastries and puddings and can enrich summer fruit salads. The minty aroma of catnip also comes into its own when combined with chocolate desserts.
Tips & Tricks
When using, the fresh form of catnip is preferable. In dried form - and especially if drying temperatures are too high - a large proportion of the essential oils are quickly lost.
