Agastache, or Giant Hyssop, is a genus of 9–12 species of perennial herbs in the family Lamiaceae, native to eastern Asia (one species) and North America (the rest).

Most species are very upright, 0.5–3 m tall, with stiff, angular stems clothed in toothed-edged, lance shaped leaves ranging from 1–15 cm long and 0.5–11 cm broad depending on the species. Upright spikes of tubular, two-lipped flowers develop at the stem tips in summer. The flowers are usually white, pink, mauve, or purple, with the bracts that back the flowers being of the same or a slightly contrasting color.

Species

• Agastache aurantiaca. Mexico, southwestern USA (Arizona, New Mexico).
• Agastache breviflora. Northern Mexico (Chihuahua, Sonora), southwestern USA (Arizona).
• Agastache cana. Southwestern USA (New Mexico, western Texas).
• Agastache foeniculum. Northern North America from arctic Canada south to Colorado and Wisconsin.
• Agastache mexicana. Central Mexico.
• Agastache nepetoides. Eastern North America from southern Ontario and southern Quebec south to Georgia.
• Agastache pallida (syn. A. barberi). Northern Mexico (Chihuahua, Durango, Sonora), southwestern USA (Arizona).
• Agastache pallidiflora. Southwestern USA (New Mexico, western Texas).
• Agastache pringlei. Northern Mexico (Chihuahua), southwestern USA (New Mexico).
• Agastache rugosa. Southeastern Russia (Primoriye), Japan, China, Korea, Taiwan, Vietnam.
• Agastache rupestris. Arizona, New Mexico.
• Agastache scrophulariifolia. Eastern North America from southern Ontario south to Georgia.
• Agastache urticifolia. Western North America from British Columbia south to California and Nevada.

Cultivation

They are easily grown in moist, well-drained soil and prefer a sunny position. Winter hardiness varies; the hardiest is A. foeniculum, hardy to USDA plant hardiness zone 1 in the north of its range; A. nepetoides, A. rugosa, A. scrophulariifolia and A. urticifolia are hardy to zones 3–5 in the northern parts of their ranges. Propagate from seed or cuttings.

External links

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• Germplasm Resources Information Network: Agastache
• Flora of China: Agastache
• Missouriplants: detailed description and photos of A. nepetoides
• Agastache (Hummingbird Mint/Hyssop)

Lamiaceae

Agastache