How To Grow And Care For Agastache Plant

Table of Contents

Agastache is a vibrant flowering plant loved by gardeners for its fragrant foliage and attractive blooms.

It’s a favorite among pollinators like bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds, making it a delightful addition to any garden or landscape.

With varieties ranging from bright oranges and purples to soft pinks and blues, Agastache adds color and charm to outdoor spaces.

Key Takeaways:

  • Soil: Agastache thrives in lean soil with good drainage. Adding sand to loamy soil can help improve drainage.
  • Lighting: Plant in full sun in warm climates, providing shade in the afternoon if necessary to prevent foliage burning.
  • Watering: Deep watering with moist soil is preferred, allowing the soil to dry between waterings to prevent root rot.
  • Temperature and Humidity: Thrives in high temperatures with good air circulation. Avoid high humidity to prevent fungal diseases.
  • Fertilizer: Minimal feeding is required, but organic matter in the fall can aid new growth in spring.
  • Propagation: Easily propagated through crown division, cuttings, or seeds.
  • Ensure good air circulation and well-draining soil to prevent root rot.
  • Monitor for pests like aphids, spider mites, or powdery mildew and address them promptly with appropriate treatments.

More About Growing Agastache Plant

Agastache ( Agastache spp. ), also known as hyssop or hummingbird mint, is a resilient perennial with fragrant leaves and graceful flower spikes.

It self-sows easily, making it a long-lasting presence in gardens, particularly in USDA hardiness zones 5 to 9.

Belonging to the mint family, Agastache comes in various colors and heights, with blooms lasting from early summer to fall, and its leaves boast a delightful blend of sweet anise and mint flavors, with many edible varieties available.

Agastache Plant Care

Soil

potting mix

Agastache care and soil do not need fertile soils to grow. You can grow Agastache in lean soil with a low level of nutrients. You can add some sand to your loamy soil to improve it for expansion.

The important thing is that Agastache grows in well-drained soil. So whether you grow it indoors or outside, ensure the soil drains well.

LightingAgastache@flickr

Depending on where you live, the Agastache flower grows well in raised beds in warm climates in the full sun.

It can tolerate desert climates, but it helps to provide shade, especially in the afternoon, to prevent foliage burning.

Most outdoor plants in the species thrive in arid climates and are sure to attract hummingbirds to your garden. These plants are, to some extent, drought tolerant.

Watering 

The Agastache loves deep watering with moist soil but must not remain wet the whole time. Hence, you can water deeply and leave the soil to dry between your watering.

Too much water will result in root ball rot, killing your indoor plant. You may need to water more in the hot sun to keep those tubular flowers looking great.

For indoor plants, we recommend investing in a moisture meter.

Temperature and Humidity

Agastache

Compared to most other outdoor plants, Agastache thrives in high temperatures and can flourish in spots with afternoon sun.

However, high humidity is unsuitable for this plant as it will remain moist, and the leaves will turn yellow.

During cold seasons, the plant needs winter guards as the roots need to remain dry.

For this reason, you can add gravel around the plant base or a mulch barrier to prevent the roots from freezing.

Fertilizer For Agastache Plants

Your plant does not need added feeding, but you can provide well-rotted manure, organic matter, or pine needles in the fall for winter protection.

Doing this will help with new growth in spring.

Even if your plant is cold-hardy, we still recommend providing your plant with mulch protection at the base to prevent root rot.

Pruning

  • Pinch new growth in spring to encourage bushier growth.
  • Deadheading spent flowers helps maintain tidiness and prevents prolific self-seeding.
  • For perennials, cut back by about one-third in spring to promote new growth. Avoid excessive pruning in midsummer to protect against winter survival issues.
  • As an annual, continuous pinching and deadheading throughout the season is suitable.

Propagating Agastache

You can propagate your plant in mid-spring or fall using crown division, cuttings, or seed heads.

How to Grow Agastache from Seeds

Planting seeds is a straightforward and cost-effective way to grow these lovely herbaceous perennials. Here are step-by-step instructions on how to plant Agastache seeds:

  1. After the last frost date, plant seeds in your area in spring or early summer.
  2. Fill trays or pots with seed starting mix, scatter seeds evenly, and lightly press into the soil.
  3. Water gently, keeping the soil moist but not soggy, and cover with clear plastic to maintain humidity.
  4. Place in a bright location with indirect sunlight or use grow lights for illumination.
  5. Maintain consistent warmth around 70°F to 75°F (21°C to 24°C) with a seed heating mat if needed.
  6. Check soil moisture regularly and remove plastic cover once seedlings emerge.
  7. Transplant seedlings into larger pots or gardens after they develop true leaves.
  8. Space according to variety’s recommended spacing and ensure well-draining soil in sunny locations.
  9. Harden off seedlings outdoors for about a week before planting in the garden.

Growing Agastache from Cuttings

  1. Select a healthy, mature Agastache plant in early spring or summer.
  2. Use clean, sharp shears to take 3 to 5-inch stem cuttings below a node.
  3. Remove lower leaves, leaving a few at the top to reduce moisture loss.
  4. Optionally, dip cut ends in rooting hormone powder to aid root growth.
  5. Plant cuttings in well-draining potting mix in pots or trays, ensuring good soil contact.
  6. Water thoroughly and cover with clear plastic to maintain humidity.
  7. Place in bright, indirect light and check for root growth regularly.
  8. Once roots develop, transplant them into larger pots or garden beds.

Agastache Varieties

When looking to brighten up the garden, you have a wide selection of Agastache varieties available:

Blue Fortune

blue fortune

The Blue Fortune is a European hybrid that blooms soft periwinkle blue flower spikes. The variety can take a bit more rainfall and is cold-cardy in the USDA zones 4 to 10.

Licorice Mint Hyssop

Licorice Mint Hyssop

It is another hardy variety that blooms orange-colored flowers with a dusty purple calyx. The combination is unusual but gorgeous. You get a combined fragrance of mint and licorice, a feast for your senses.

Many gardeners refer to it as the threadleaf giant hyssop.

Agastache Cana

Agastache Cana

The drought-tolerant perennial plants display a soft rose pink flower. It grows well in containers and has a long blooming period from summer to late fall.

Agastache Firebird

Hyssop

The plant is colorful, from the green-gray foliage to the coppery orange flowers.

Agastache Pest Management

Agastache plants generally resist pests, making them valuable to any garden. However, they can be susceptible to certain diseases and pests.

One common issue is fungal diseases, which can occur if the plant crown gets wet, so avoiding watering the foliage and ensuring good air circulation is essential.

To prevent root rot, maintain well-draining soil by removing debris and adding sand or soil amendments if necessary.

Look for potential pests like aphids, spider mites, or powdery mildew, and promptly address any infestations with organic or chemical treatments as needed.

Frequently Asked Questions

The best time to collect the vegetation from your Agastache is in the morning, from spring to late summer. The best is to wait until the plant grows bunches of leaves before harvesting for the first time. Then, you can dry the leaves and flowers as they last for months.

The plant works well in pollinator gardens, butterfly gardens, naturalized areas to wildflower meadows. Grown in full sun, it provides food and nectar for the local wildlife. The anise hyssop also grows well in a container garden for flower arrangements.

The plant is rich in polyphenol antioxidants, and people use the Agastache rugosa to treat fever, headaches, digestive issues, cancer, and more.

Anise Hyssop, or Hummingbird Mint, is often considered deer-resistant. While no plant can be guaranteed to be entirely deer-proof, Agastache has characteristics that make it less appealing to deer, from the fragrance, texture, and taste.

Whether or not you overwinter Agastache plants depends on your local climate, the specific Agastache variety, and your gardening preferences. Agastache is generally considered hardy and can survive winter in many regions.

Agastache typically blooms in the summer, from late spring to early fall, depending on the specific variety and local climate.

Some varieties of Agastache are invasive as they self-seed freely, but you can easily pull out the seedlings. Alternatively, remove the spent flower spikes before it drops the seed.

The agastache flower, also known as hummingbird mint or hyssop, comes in a flower color ranging from pink, purple, and orange. They have a sweet, minty fragrance and are often used in teas and as a culinary herb.

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