Anise Hyssop

Agastache foeniculum

Description

Anise Hyssop is an incredible herbaceous perennial boasting some of the most amazing purple flowers around. It’s a favorite of wildlife, attracting countless bees, butterflies, and other beneficial insects as well as hummingbirds and goldfinches. The above-ground portion dies back completely every year and the plant regrows new shoots from the roots. Shoots reach about 1-2’ tall and are generally slim, but can become quite bushy if the terminal buds are periodically pinched off, similar to how one grows basil.

The entire plant smells of anise or liquorice, hence the name, but despite the name it is not truly a hyssop; rather it is in the mint family. Drying the leaves and young flowers makes an incredibly sweet and soothing tea that Andy drinks almost every morning. It can also be used to make flavored syrups for cocktails, kombucha, and more! The strong scent also allows Anise Hyssop to act as an aromatic support plant to help reduce the pressure of foraging mammals when planted around the base of trees and other woody perennials.

Anise Hyssop is a highly fertile plant that will produce an abundance of viable seeds, which are enjoyed by the local birds from summer through mid winter, that can cause a patch to grow over time. If Anise Hyssop shows up somewhere that you would prefer it not to be, simply harvest the entire plant for tea in the early summer just as it starts to flower.

Site Preference

Prefers full sun but will still do quite well in even moderate shade, well-drained soil

Hardiness

Zone 4