![]() ![]() Hummers are highly attracted to red, orange, and pink-flowered forms, while butterflies, particularly swallowtails, favor the blue-flowered varieties. Bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds love to drink from the nectar-rich flowers. The range of flower colors is especially impressive, reminding me of a dessert tray of passion fruit, peach, orange, and raspberry sorbets, as well as other flavors in between.Īs if beautiful form, color, and aroma weren't enough to recommend Agastache, the genus is also a magnet for wildlife. foeniculum, most notably in their flower color and leaf size and shape. But many are quite different in appearance from A. Like anise hyssop, they all produce wonderful pungent foliage and bear dainty, tubular flowers on dense spikes from midsummer until first frost. I agreed, and from that moment on, Agastache foeniculum became the "root beer plant" to me.Įver since perennials took the garden world by storm in the 1990s, other worthy species and hybrids of Agastache have come to my attention. My friend further encouraged me to nibble on some flowers, which she described as tasting of a good frosted mug of Stewart's root beer. Here was another good herb that could escape from the utilitarian herb garden to the ornamental perennial border. While the leaf fragrance was memorable that day, I was even more taken by the herb's elegant upright habit and dense spikes of powder-blue flowers. It came as no surprise to me to learn that the fresh and dried leaves of the plant are used as a food seasoning and for making tea. She pointed out Agastache foeniculum, commonly called anise hyssop, and made me rub the coarse leaves to release their pungent aroma, which was mintlike, with hints of licorice and citrus. My passion for the genus Agastache (pronounced ag-ah-STACK-key) began decades ago in the herb garden of a friend. Technical Assistance for Community Compost SitesĪgastache: Fragrant Foliage and Colorful Blooms. ![]()
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