Agastache (ag-ah-STACK-ee) Common Name:  Anise hyssop, giant hyssop, hummingbird mint Light:  - Full sun to part sun Soil:  Average to rich, well-drained Moisture:  Average to somewhat dry Blooms:  Mid to late summer Zones:  varies by species and cultivar -*-

Agastache 'Blue Fortune' Agastache 'Golden Jubilee'

Agastache Description and Cultural Information

Agastache cana, giant hyssop, hummingbird mint. 3'. A semi-woody, upright growing perennial with grayish-green foliage and tall spikes of tubular, rose-pink flowers. It blooms from mid-summer to frost and is a favorite of hummingbirds, butterflies, and bees. The aromatic foliage is said to repel mosquitoes when crushed and some report that you can rub the foliage on your skin for use as a mosquito repellent. It is very attractive but relatively short lived. Zones 6 - 9.

Agastache foeniculum, anise hyssop. 2 - 3'. This upright plant has aromatic foliage and purple flowers at the terminals in late summer. It is closely related to mints and catnip. The cultivar 'Blue Fortune' is a reliable, long-flowering, sterile hybrid with blue-lavender flowers and licorice scented foliage. 'Golden Jubilee' has lavender-blue flower spikes over yellow/chartreuse, mint scented foliage. These tend to come true from seed. 'Honey Bee Blue' and 'Honey Bee White' have attractive lavender-blue or white spikes over mint scented foliage but they both have a tendency to seed out to the point of being quite weedy. Zones 4 - 8.

How to Grow:  Agastache prefers fertile but well-drained soil in full sun to part sun. They are heat and drought tolerant but intolerant of wet conditions. Some varieties can be grown from seed (in fact some are prolific self-seeders) or they can be divided in spring.

Landscape uses:  Agastache makes a great addition to the butterfly and hummingbird garden. It works well with other late blooming perennials such as garden phlox (Phlox paniculata), Japanese anemone, aster, boltonia, rudbeckia, and helianthus.