The following research information was assembled during a study conducted by James Black, Kooky Kat Catnip Company founder, at the University of Waterloo, Ontario, Canada 1994

In nature plants that produce essential oils, like catnip, produce the oils from glucose, the MVA metabolic pathway within the ground cytoplasm of the epidermal cells. 

Special organelles called vacuoles encapsulate the oil precursor chemicals and transport them across the cell membrane into the upper epidermis of the cuticle where the oils collect in head cells of glandular structures called trichomes. 

The plant produces these volatile essential oil chemicals for several reasons. One is to attract pollinating insects such as bees, moths, other insects like ants. Another reason is to ward off insects and herbivores that would like to eat the plant material, and seeds. 

Trichomes cover the leaf surface, steams, flowers, and are particularly abundant on the mature seed pods. 

The plant desires to maximize protection of the seeds. In our catnip fields we often come across catnip flower heads which are covered in red and black ants. Our fields are also filled with pollinating bees during catnip plant maturation. So many bees in fact you can hear a constant, quite audible buzz. 

Bees are attracted so much to our catnip field that we recently began a honeybee operation with the assistance of a bee expert. 

Essential oils contain chemicals known as terpenoids. These chemicals are known be excellent natural insect repellants and antimicrobial agents.

Microscopic images of catnip tissue, and oil producing glands

underside of leaf	mature seed pod	dispered oil glands	flower structure
Head cells	PTM stalk	mature trichome	mature trichome
Oil in  glands	oil production	PTM of  oil gland	epidermal cells
Fluorol Yellow	lipid stain in oil	SEM  trichome	lipid stain trichomes
oil factory	mature plant	SEM of stalk	SEM mature gland