世界新聞網-北美華文新聞、華商資訊 – 貓薄荷 護花好伴侶
作為多年生的草花，貓薄荷(Catmint)可說是非常稱職的伴侶植物，在它陪襯護伴之下，玫瑰和牡丹等明星花卉不僅顯得格外悅目，而且還能招引蜜蜂、蝴蝶和貓兒，驅趕害蟲和鼠類。 住在紐約長島的季驎賢先生，在院子裡種了一些牡丹和玫瑰。這兩種名花開花時固然明媚美麗，但旁邊沒有其他植物陪襯，總覺得美中不足。牡丹花期早，4月中下旬開花時，大多數草本花卉都還沒有動靜，顯得孤芳自賞。而向來有「醜腿美人」之稱的玫瑰，裸露的株體下半部，更需要有其它草本植物遮擋。 季先生說，園藝設計常有「伴侶植物」(companion plants)的說法，除了種植矚目聚焦的著名花卉之外，通常還會為它尋找伴侶，在旁邊種上陪襯性的植物，不僅顏色和株形彼此襯托，而且生長屬性接近，對日照和土質有著相同的要求，如果還有防蟲防病等其他功能，更是錦上添花，憑添維護的功能。 當季先生準備為玫瑰和牡丹尋找伴侶植物時，考慮的對象都是多年生草本植物(perennial)。他說，「Perennial」一詞來自拉丁文，有「全年生長」和「歷久不衰」的意思。多年生草本植物的多樣性和韌性，使它幾世紀以來都是庭園景觀極重要的一環。 在數以千百計的多年生草本植物中，季先生最後看中了貓薄荷。他的這個決定主要是受到英國著名庭園設計家葛楚．傑寇(Gertrude Jekyll)的影響。在19世紀末和20世紀初，她在英國和歐美設計了400多個花園，發表過一千多篇園藝文章，多年生草本植物在西方庭園的普遍流行，可說是她一手推動發展起來的。她的主要概念是，把不同的植物聚合起來，在一年四季中不斷呈現出不同的顏色和趣味，來年還可以復甦，生生不息，重現往年的美景。 葛楚．傑寇有一些特別喜愛的多年生草本植物，其中，她挑出貓薄荷，說它是「所有讚美都當之無愧的植物」。季先生看了傑寇女士的這席話後，去年年初開始在園藝公司的型錄中尋找貓薄荷的品種。他發覺，貓薄荷(學名Nepeta)屬於香草植物(Herb)，大約有250個唇形科荊芥屬的親戚，但只有少數雜交物種目前廣泛流行於歐美庭園，其中，紫花貓薄荷(學名Nepeta faassenii)和具脈貓薄荷(學名Nepeta nernosa)兩個品種群的園藝運用最為普遍。 季先生當時選中了兩個品種，一個品種稱為「Blue Moon」(藍月)，屬於具脈貓薄荷，另一個品種名為「Walker’s Low」(華克南苑)，則屬於紫花貓薄荷。這兩個品種的穗狀花序都最接近藍色，屬於隱性的顏色，種在牡丹和玫瑰前，不會搶鋒頭，卻能與明星花卉的豔麗相互呼應。最讓季先生中意的是，這些貓薄荷在4月就會搶先開花，為牡丹花的到來奏響配樂；當貓薄荷第一波花在5月消褪時，如果能齊頭修剪，接續而來的花叢正好襯托盛開的玫瑰，直到仲秋才結束花期。 這兩個品種都能適應乾燥寒冷的氣候，適種地區包括美國第4到第7耐寒區，園藝屬性也頗能配合牡丹和玫瑰，適合接近中性和偏於砂質的土壤，這三種植物都忌澇溼，絕不可過度施水。 季先生去年早春向Thomas & Morgan種子公司(網址tmseeds.com)郵購「藍月」貓薄荷的種子，目前已在含苞待放的牡丹前，長成1呎半到2呎方圓的藍色花叢。 「華克南苑」紫花貓薄荷的英文名字「Walker’s Low」，常讓人誤會以為它是低矮型品種，其實它指的是愛爾蘭著名的華克花園南苑，在1988年引進美國市場，成株可以長到2至3呎，每棵可以擴展到3呎寬。這個品種曾獲「2007年最佳草本植物獎」(Perennial Plant of the Year)，但買不到種子，季先生向Burpee Seeds and Plants公司( 網址為burpee.com)買了兩棵幼株，種在玫瑰前。 貓薄荷銀綠色的齒緣葉片，如果揉搓會散發出純荊芥內酯(nepetalactone)的特殊清涼香味，特別能吸引貓兒。季先生種了貓薄荷後，常看到不明來處的貓在園中走動，甚至還看過一頭花貓啣著一隻地鼠。季先生說，鼠類在他的花園裡似乎絕跡，或許與貓薄荷吸引了貓兒有關。 貓薄荷不僅沒有什麼病蟲害，而且有驅蚊和驅蟲的功能，種在易遭蟲害侵襲的玫瑰旁，多少有護衛的作用。同時，貓薄荷特別能招蜂引蝶，常看到花叢上有蜂蝶飛舞。季先生說，貓薄荷非常容易伺候，少澆水，別施肥，只要種在陽光充足的地方，土壤排水良好，就可以享有幾個月藍紫色的花叢。 季先生特別提醒說，人們常常會把貓薄荷(catmint)和貓草(catnip)混為一談，兩者屬於近親，都能吸引貓吻，但花色和株形大不相同。季先生曾經誤買過貓草種子，長成後才發覺並非他想要的貓薄荷。
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