Cat’s Whiskers is botanically known as Orthosiphon aristatus and it belongs to the mint family.The genus name Orthosiphon comes from the Greek and means “upright tube.” This family is characterized by a square stem, volatile oils and decussate leaf arrangements; i.e. opposite pairs of leaves with each pair offset by 90 degrees to the previous pair. The plant owes its name to the four strikingly long stamens, which stick out, as long as a pen, looking like a cat’s whiskers sticking out from the white to pale purple flowers lip. The flowers are in spike-like flowery whorls, which is expressed by the epithet: Lat “aristatus” (= with ears). Only the leaves are edible and are widely used for herbal teas ( Java Tea ) in south-east Asia. Other plant parts are toxic! The flowers make an eye-catching display in gardens.
| Name | Cat’s Whiskers |
|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Orthosiphon aristatus |
| Native | Africa, South East Asia and Australasia. |
| Common/English Name | Kidney plant, Indian kidney tea, Java tea, Kabling-parang, Mao xu cao, pokok misai kucing, Yaa-nuat-maeo, Kidney Tea, Kumis Kucing, Kumis Kutjing and Kitty Whiskers |
| Name in Other Languages | Indonesia: Kumis kucing Malaysia: Misai kucing U.S: Cat’s whiskers or Java tea Chinese: Mao xu cao, shen cha Filipino: Kabling-gubat, balbas-pusa, kabling-parang Thai: Yaa-nuat-maeo English: Cat’s whiskers, kidney tea, java tea, whiskerplant Sanskrit: Arjaka, Marjarasmasru Hindi: Mutri tulsi Malayalam: Poocha meesha-പൂച്ചമീശ, Poochatulasi-പൂച്ച തുളസി Fijian: Kumi ni pusi French: Thé de Java Malayan: Pokok misai kucing Palauan: Emadecharebub Pohnpeian: Alisen-kaht, elisiniket Samoan: ‘Ava pusi, ‘ava pusi Tongan: Kava ‘i pusi Swedish: Morrhårsmynta |
| Plant Growth Habit | Small herbaceous perennial shrub |
| Growing Climate | Grow well in full sun in mild climates. |
| Soil | Prefers well-drained soil high in organic content that can hold moisture, neutral to slightly alkaline pH. |
| Plant Size | About 1-2 meter high |
| Stem | Purple, four-sided stems that are coarsely toothed |
| Leaf | Dark green leaves are 5-10cm long, slightly glossy, narrowly ovate and deeply veined. They are held in pairs, end in points at each end and have coarsely toothed margins. |
| Flower | Flowers range from white through to light mauve or pink with the slender tube shaped corolla being 2.5 cm. It is almost 3 times the size of the bell shaped calyces. The ‘whiskers’ or stamens extend outwards up to twice as long as the flower itself, giving the impression of cat’s whiskers. Cat’s Whiskers flowers from late summer to autumn |
| Flowering Season | April to May |
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