Agastache foeniculum


Agastache foeniculum, commonly called anise hyssop, blue giant hyssop, Fragrant giant hyssop, or the lavender giant hyssop, is a species of perennial plant in the mint family. The plant is native to much of northern North America. It is tolerant of deer and drought, and is visited by many pollinators.

Description

Growing from a taproot, the perennial plant grows to in height, in a clumplike, upright shape. The leaves have an oval, toothed shape with a white tint underneath.
The plant blooms in June to September with bright lavender flowers that become more colorful near the tip. One plant may produce upwards of 90,000 individual flowers. They appear in showy verticillasters or false whorls, occasionally branching at the apex.

Similar species

A. foeniculum is commonly confused with A. rugosa as well as A. scrophulariifolia. Anise hyssop is in the same family as hyssop, but they are not closely related. Hyssop is a genus of about 10–12 species of herbaceous or semi-woody plants native from the east Mediterranean to central Asia.

Distribution and habitat

The plant is native to much of north-central and northern North America, notably the Great Plains and other prairies.

Ecology

The species is tolerant of deer and drought, and attracts various potential pollinators, including hummingbirds, butterflies, bumblebees, honey bees, carpenter bees, and night-flying moths. Honey bees make a light fragrant honey from the flower's nectar. The plant is considered one of the premier species for feeding pollinators. The 1969 edition of the Rodale's Encyclopedia of Organic Gardening claims that one acre of the species can support 100 honey-bee hives, the flowers blooming for a very long season, often from June until frost and during the time it blooms, one can see bees on the flowers from the morning until dusk. The many flowers of the plant provide forage for bees, butterflies and hummingbirds.

Uses

The plant was used medicinally by the Cree, Cheyenne, and Ojibwa peoples to treat fevers, respiratory issues, and burns. The soft, anise-scented leaves are used as a seasoning, as a tea, in potpourri, and can be crumbled in salad.