Description
Agastache
There are about 30 species of perennials, in this genus. They are native to dry often-hilly habitants in China, Japan, and North America. Most are very upright with stiff angular stems clothed in toothed edges. It bears lance shaped leaves ½-6” long depending species. They can grow any where from 6”-6’ feet tall. On upright stem tip bear long lasting spikes of tubular, 2-lipped flowers from mid summer to autumn. Flowers are usually white, pink, mauve, or purple with bracts that back the flowers being the same or slightly contrasting in color.
Easily grown in moist well-drained fertile soil and prefers sunny position. Most will tolerant occasional frost down to 20 degree Fahrenheit.
Prone to mildew, rusts, downy mildew, and are very attractive to insects.
Agastache foeniculum – Agastache anethiodora – Agastache anisata – Anise Hyssop – This native to North America is commonly grown as an annual but can be a perennial that grows 3-5’ feet tall and just a foot wide. The sweet smelling oval to egg shaped to lance shaped, veined leaves 2-3” long with downy and whitish green undersides have been used for herbal tea or food flavoring. From mid summer to early autumn it bears 1 ½-3” dense spikes of blue or blue with violet bracts.
Zones 4-11
