Agastaches: a Wonderful Plant for Every Garden

Agastaches, also known as "hummingbird mint" or "hyssop," are available in many different varieties and colors, such as blue, pink, rose, orange, yellow, and various combinations of these.

Growing them in full sun is best, but they will tolerate partial sun.

One nice thing about Agastaches is their ability to grow both in the ground and in containers. This adds to my ability to have more of them around the garden and yard!

Agastaches are beautiful, fragrant, long blooming, low maintenance, and drought tolerant and they attract hummingbirds, butterflies, and/or bees. Just make sure you give them excellent drainage. They like crushed gravel for mulch because they don't like their roots wet in the winter. You can add coarse sand (but never play sand) and crushed gravel in the planting hole for better drainage as well.



Since the introduction of cold-hardy Agastache rupestris, with its gray-green foliage that smells like licorice in 1996 by High Country Gardens, more and more varieties have been introduced every year. 'Golden Jubilee' is a standout with leaves of chartreuse color.



Agastaches usually bloom from late spring to frost. It is best to wait until mid to late spring before cutting off old brown stems from the previous year to ensure cold hardiness.



The square stems are distinctive looking. The leaves are opposite and serrated.



The height is usually from 18 inches to as tall as 60 inches. The newest varieties tend to be 20 - 24 inches tall with a width of 16 - 24 inches, which is perfect for small gardens.



Agastache are both deer resistant and rabbit resistant. Established plants seem to be the most resistant to bunny browsing.



Cold hardiness ranges from zone 5 to zone 7, with a few hardy to zone 4.

If they aren't hardy for your zone, don't let that stop you from growing them. Try growing them as annuals, and sometimes they'll overwinter for a nice surprise.