Neither an anise or a hyssop, this member of the mint family has the characteristic square stems of its tribe. Its spikes of tubular lavender blooms, appearing July-September, provide nectar for long-tongued bees, butterflies and hummingbirds well into fall. In fact, it’s so attractive to bees that mass plantings were once established throughout the Midwest and Canada as ‘honey plants’ to support apiaries! Pollinated flowers produce smooth, oval-shaped fruit or seeds (technically nutlets) that can be eaten by birds. Earlier in the season, deadheading of spent flowers can keep those blooms coming.
This unfussy native prefers full sun, and will spread via rhizomes or self-seeding. Like others in the mint family, it’s deer-resistant, and once established, drought tolerant as well.
Many cultivars have come onto the market in recent years, but If you’re looking to provide the best support for pollinators, plant the straight species (Agastache foeniculum) or the cultivar ‘Blue Fortune’ which, in a study by Mt. Cuba Center, was found to be as attractive as the straight species.