Butterflies and Bees Flock to Agastache 'Blue Fortune'
August can be a difficult time in many perennial gardens, the weather is hot, the rain is scarce and many early-blooming perennials, frankly, do not look their best. One of the stars of my August garden is Agastache (common names are Anise Hyssop or Hummingbird Mint).
Not only does Agastache still look good, it is a magnet for pollinators of all kinds. One clump of Agastache, with about 50 individual flower spikes, is typically hosting 20 bees and a few butterflies. I love to sit nearby and watch them all flit around from flower to flower. Even though Agastache’s common name is Hummingbird mint, I must admit I have yet to see a hummingbird anywhere near them.
Butterfly on Agastache 'Black Adder'
Agastache ‘Blue Fortune’ and it’s cousin ‘Black Adder’ make fine additions to the middle or back of a mixed border. Flower spikes are held on erect stems that should not need staking. Agastache can be used as a colorful vertical accent in a perennial garden. Both cultivars grow to about 36 “ tall and I have found they look best massed, rather than planted individually. Since they bloom in mid to late summer, they look great paired with Asclepias, Solidago, Echinacea or Pennisetum. Try to plant Agastache in a location that is easily viewed so you can enjoy the never-ending show of bees and butterflies that are sure to visit. If you’re thinking about adding some Agastache to your garden, here are a few other points to consider:
- Both ‘Blue Fortune’ and ‘Black Adder’ are hardy in zones 6 – 9
- Blue flower spikes in bloom from July – September
- Agastache needs well-drained soil, especially in winter months
- Drought-tolerant once established. Does not appear to be bothered by humidity either
- Can be grown in full sun to part sun (I have 6 plants - three ‘Blue Fortune’ and three ‘Black Adder’ and I have found the ones growing in part sun perform the same as the ones in full sun.)
- Both leaves and flowers are edible
- Old stems and flowers can be cut back in early spring. Plants can be divided at that time if necessary
- Agastache is deer-resistant
I’m always down to learn about new plants to attract pollinators. I haven’t had much luck with Agastaches here in my coastal redwood rainforest climate (way Northern Cali) – they sem to die in the rain – but then, I haven’t given one an appropriate home with decent drainage yet – my clients have planted them all in places that were less than ideal and been down with treating them as annuals.
They are super cute though. I’m going to keep trying to find a good microclimate for them in this area – they are super cute!!
Genevieve,
I do think good drainage seems to be the key to success with Agastache. Given the amount of bees that are always swarming my plants, if you are looking for plants to bring a lot of pollinators to your garden, I would definitely think about using Agastache as an annual or maybe even adding one to a container where you can control drainage issues.
[...] I’ve decided to enter a photo I took a few weeks ago in my garden when I was writing a blog post about Agastache and it’s role in my garden as a primary host for a variety of [...]
[...] I’ve decided to enter a photo I took a few weeks ago in my garden when I was writing a blog post about Agastache and it’s role in my garden as a primary host for a variety of [...]