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Agastache foeniculum
Blue Giant Hyssop
Agastache foeniculum, also known as Blue giant hyssop, is a free seeding 2-4' meadow perennial naturalized to eastern North America. Agastache foeniculum is well-loved for its beautiful purple flowers and aromatic foliage. Blue giant hyssop has a tall, compact raceme of purple-ish blue flowers, which are highly sought after by native bees, butterflies, and other pollinators. Due to their aromatic foliage, Agastache foeniculum is disliked by deer or other browsing animals. Over-wintering songbirds, such as goldfinches, enjoy Agastache seeds as a winter food source, and cavity-nesting bees rely on the dried stems for larval habitat.
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- » Aromatic foliage
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- » Winter interest
Plant Characteristics
Additional Information
| Height | 36-60 in |
| Hardiness Zone | 3-9 |
| Color |
Purple |
During the winter months, Agastache foeniculum supports wildlife in many ways, like providing nesting habitat and food resources for many species of wildife. The hollow stems of Agastache foeniculum are used as nesting habitat for cavity nesting bees, and their seedheads provide a winter food source to many overwintering bird species, like goldfinches and dark eyed juncos. Even in the summer months, native bees, and butterflies flock to Agastache foeniculum. Their tall purple flowers are like magnets for pollinators far and wide. Although Agastache is traditionally native to the midwest, it has become naturalized in parts of the northeast. Particularly, in the northeast, it is a host plant for the Radcliff’s Dagger Moth, and of special value to numerous native bees that frequent the flowers.