SafePlants

Anise Hyssop (Agastache foeniculum)

Agastache foeniculum, commonly known as anise hyssop, blue giant hyssop, or fragrant giant hyssop, is a captivating perennial with a multitude of desirable qualities for gardeners and pollinators alike.

Taxonomy and Nomenclature

• Scientific Name: Agastache foeniculum
• Synonyms: Agastache anethiodora (Nutt.) Britton, Agastache anethiodorum (Nutt.)Britt.
• Common Names: Anise hyssop, blue giant hyssop, fragrant giant hyssop, lavender hyssop, licorice mint, elk mint, wild anise
• Family: Lamiaceae (Mint family) or Labiatae/Labiatae
• Subclass: Asteridae
• Order: Lamiales
• Genus: Agastache (giant hyssop)
• Author: (Pursh) Kuntze

Considerations for Pets

• The plant has aromatic foliage.
• It is a member of the mint family.

Considerations for Children

• The plant has aromatic foliage.
• It is a member of the mint family.

Distribution and Habitat

• Native to North America, where most of the 30 Agastache species originate.
• Found in prairies and open woodlands.
• Prefers dry, sandy, gravelly, and sometimes silty soil.

Morphological Characteristics and Growth Habits

• Erect perennial forb, typically growing 2 to 4 feet high.
• Features square stems, characteristic of the mint family.
• Bushy, branched growth habit.
• Showy flower spikes, 1 to 6 inches long, composed of blue to purple tubular flowers.
• Aromatic, apple-green foliage with a licorice scent.
• Flowers dry to a distinctive navy blue.

Ecological Role

• Attracts pollinators such as bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds.
• Widely used for prairie plantings, raingardens, and shorelines.

Quirky Facts

• While often called anise hyssop, it is not related to true hyssop (Hyssop officinalis).
• The flowers dry to a distinctive navy blue.

Interactions with Other Organisms

• A magnet for bees and butterflies, drawing them to its dense conical spikes of purple-blue flowers.
• Its flowers are attractive to hummingbirds.