Agastache nepetoides (yellow giant hyssop)

Description

Pretty much everyone is familiar with Agastache foeniculum, also known as anise hyssop. That’s a very common plant in the beginner-native-gardening-starter-pack list, despite the fact that it is one of the species that isn’t native to our region. Agastache foeniculum is originally native in the upper midwest United States. Not that there’s anything wrong with it. I have it planted throughout my partially-native food forest/cottage veggie garden to help deter herbivory. Surrounding the plants they’re likely to eat with ones that are somewhat of a deterrent can be effective. That being said, it’s not entirely foolproof, speaking from experience. They just won’t spend much time sniffing around.

This species, Agastache nepetoides, as well as another one I’m offering, Agastache scrophulariifolia, are both native to our region. While it is not fragrant like anise hyssop, the leaves are alleged to be bitter, and the deer are less likely to forage. Your mileage (and level of deer pressure) may vary. I will not be offering anise hyssop – plenty of other nurseries do. While I do offer a handful of near-native species, I won’t include it if it doesn’t make sense.

This gets slightly taller and larger than anise hyssop, but not as large as purple giant hyssop. It also produces cream-yellow flowers, not purple, however I’ve also read the flower spike can be over a foot long. I’ve heard some say they can hybridize with the native-introduced species. Other sources say they don’t. Time will tell, if the population I sow from what I grow and collect ends up with hybrids. If it does, I’ve already decided I will be pulling the introduced species.

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