noun
silver vine; cat powder
A plant (Actinidia polygama) known for its effect on cats, similar to catnip. Often called 'cat powder' in English when referring to the powdered form used for cats.
猫にマタタビを与えると、酔ったような反応をする。
When you give silver vine to a cat, it reacts as if drunk.
マタタビの実は猫が大好きだ。
Cats love the fruit of the silver vine.
Rare kanji form; it is rarely used. The reading is a jukujikun.
Catnip (Nepeta cataria) is a different plant from the mint family, while マタタビ is a species of Actinidia. Both have similar effects on cats.
The word マタタビ is of Japanese origin. The kanji 木天蓼 is a jukujikun reading, where the characters are used for their meaning rather than their sound. The exact derivation of またたび is uncertain.