hyssop Interesting Notes

"Hermaphroditic flowers are self-fertile. Seeds ripen in autumn. First year plants started in autumn coldframes or indoors in trays & put into the garden in spring will bloom by August, but in years after it will bloom beginning late June or July.

If deadheaded before the summer flowers go to seed, it will bloom all the way to October or first frost. If permitted to go to seed, finches will visit the flowerheads to eat the seeds.

A useful herb, the highly aromatic leaves can be used for tea that tastes of licoricy mint, or dried for poupouri. Young leaves are tasty raw in salads or fresh fruit-cups; tougher, older leaves can be added to cooked foods. Extracted oils have been used in food flavorings. Chinese herbalists believe it is useful for heart conditions, though there are no well-designed double-blind studies to lend credence to this traditional use. It may more certainly help relieve cold symptoms, as its mildly antiviral properties appear to be legitimate." - Paghat's Garden

I planted Agastache 'Golden Jubilee' last summer, and I have never in my life had a plant that attracted native bees this way this one does! Every time I passed it, it hummed with activity, and bees swirled around it. Almost none were honey-bees, either most were native bees, from tiny little bees that could fit on my pinkie-nail to fat, thumb-sized carpenter bees, little black bumble bees, green sweat bees. If you want to get people excited about Agastache, tell them what a terrific native bee attractor 'Golden Jubilee' is! - Marilyn McMillen of Yellow Ribbon Plants

Agastache 'Golden Jubilee' Growing and Maintenance Tips

Full sun to part shade in normal to dry soil with good drainage. Drought tolerant once established. Plants can be pinched early in the season to keep them compact.

Good Substitutions

Agastache 'Black Adder'

Agastache foeniculum