North America Non-native Plant

Catha

Botanical name: Catha

USDA symbol: CATHA2

Native status: Not native but doesn't reproduce and persist in the wild

Catha: An Enigmatic Plant Genus for the Curious Gardener If you’ve stumbled across the name Catha in your gardening research, you might be scratching your head wondering exactly what this plant is all about. And honestly? You’re not alone in that confusion! Catha is a bit of a botanical mystery ...

Catha: An Enigmatic Plant Genus for the Curious Gardener

If you’ve stumbled across the name Catha in your gardening research, you might be scratching your head wondering exactly what this plant is all about. And honestly? You’re not alone in that confusion! Catha is a bit of a botanical mystery when it comes to detailed growing information.

What is Catha?

Catha is a genus of plants that belongs to the Celastraceae family. As a dicot plant, it shares characteristics with many familiar garden plants, but specific details about this particular genus are surprisingly elusive in standard gardening references.

The Challenge with Catha

Here’s where things get a bit tricky for us garden enthusiasts. While the name Catha exists in botanical literature, finding specific information about its native range, growing conditions, and garden suitability proves challenging without knowing exactly which species or variety we’re dealing with.

Should You Plant Catha?

Given the limited information available about Catha as a garden plant, it’s difficult to make a strong recommendation either way. Without knowing its native status, growth habits, or specific growing requirements, it’s hard to say whether this would be a good fit for your garden.

If you’re interested in exploring this plant further, here are some suggestions:

  • Consult with local botanical gardens or native plant societies for more specific information
  • Research the full botanical name (genus and species) for more detailed growing information
  • Consider well-documented native alternatives that provide similar characteristics

The Bottom Line

Sometimes in gardening, we encounter plants that remain a bit of a puzzle. Catha appears to be one of those cases where more research is needed to provide solid growing advice. If you’re set on exploring this genus, your best bet is to dig deeper into specific species within the Catha genus and consult with botanical experts who might have hands-on experience with these plants.

In the meantime, there are plenty of well-documented native plants that can provide beauty, wildlife benefits, and gardening satisfaction while you continue your Catha research!

Catha

Classification

Group

Dicot

Kingdom

Plantae - Plants

Subkingdom

Tracheobionta - Vascular plants

Superdivision

Spermatophyta - Seed plants

Division

Magnoliophyta - Flowering plants

Subdivision
Class

Magnoliopsida - Dicotyledons

Subclass

Rosidae

Order

Celastrales

Family

Celastraceae R. Br. - Bittersweet family

Genus

Catha Forssk. ex Scop. - catha

Species

Plant data source: USDA, NRCS 2025. The PLANTS Database. https://plants.usda.gov,. 2/25/2025. National Plant Data Team, Greensboro, NC USA