Giant Hyssop Seeds

Looking as light as a feather in the sunny perennial garden, this lovely native Giant Hyssop regales you all summer with sprays of colorful bloom in shades of orange, salmon, pink, and russet. The airy gray foliage sends the fragrance of fresh mint throughout the garden, summoning all local bees and hummingbirds. Much longer-lasting and showier than other species, this Agastache is a treasure for any sun-drenched, dry-soil garden spot.

Blooming the first year from an early-spring sowing, it quickly forms a well-branched, upright plant about 2½ to 3 feet tall. The 2-inch blooms begin as rich orange-brown buds in late spring and early summer, opening to bright salmon-pink, then darkening again as they mature. Each bloom lasts an incredible 2 months, and the plant is wonderfully floriferous, so you can imagine the display of multicolored pastel tones against the subtle grays and silvers of the foliage. In midsummer, a fully-blooming plant is a multicolor extravaganza.

Much more tolerant of cold climates than most hyssops, this plant is hardy all the way through zone 4, and may be sown indoors for transplant in short-season areas. Of course, like most native plants, it direct sows easily. Best in hot, dry spots, it is adaptable and carefree—a lovely choice for a wildflower garden, naturalized meadowland, or other informal setting, but elegant enough for the bed or border, too.