Cat's Whiskers (Orthosiphon aristatus): Airy White Spikes for Tea and Pollinators

Cat's whiskers (Orthosiphon aristatus), also known as Java tea, is an herbaceous perennial with glossy, serrated leaves and striking, airy spikes of white flowers with long, protruding stamens that resemble whiskers. The leaves are used in traditional herbal tea for kidney health.

Growth

Plants form upright clumps 2–3 feet tall. Blooms from summer to fall, attracting bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds. The flowers have a light, sweet fragrance.

Culture

Full sun to part shade; moist, well-drained soil. Water regularly. Pinch back early to encourage branching. Perennial in zones 9–11; grown as an annual elsewhere. Harvest leaves for tea before flowering.

Taxonomy

• Family: Lamiaceae
• Genus: Orthosiphon
• Species: aristatus
• Synonyms: Ocimum aristatum, Orthosiphon stamineus