SEED ORDERS OVER $100 SHIP FREE!
Agastache foeniculum

Anise Hyssop

$3.00 - $150.00

Packet
$3.00
1/8 oz.
$3.50
1/4 oz.
$4.50
1/2 oz.
$6.50
1 oz.
$10.00
1 lb.
$150.00

Bare Root Plants
Out of Stock

3 Pack
$21.00
Tray of 50
Out of Stock

Anise Hyssop has flower spikes that burst with a myriad of tiny blooms that span the purple spectrum: from soft lavender to rich violet. The blossoms pop open in intervals, providing a long nectar season for bumblebees, hummingbirds, and butterflies; this plant is abuzz with pollinators all summer long! Sturdy and upright, the square stem supports fragrant foliage, which smells like anise or licorice. The undersides of the leaves are white or light gray and flash and wink whenever the wind blows. Makes a fantastic addition in sensory gardens. This plant is easy to grow and often blooms in its first year. It self-sows readily; the new seedlings are quite hardy and can be transplanted easily. Once established, Anise Hyssop is drought tolerant. It is also deer resistant; most mammals dislike the strong scent of the leaves.

Other common names in use: Lavender Hyssop or Blue Giant Hyssop.

Live Plant Shipping Table

Spring Fall Age/Size
Dormant Bare Roots April/May October 1 Year
Potted 3-Packs May/June September 2.5" wide x 3.5" deep pots
Potted Trays of 38* May/June N/A 2" wide x 5" deep plugs
Potted Trays of 50 May N/A 2" wide x 5" deep plugs
*This species is also an option in our Mix & Match - Create Your Own Tray

Agastache foeniculum - Anise Hyssop

Map Key

Present in state
Present but introduced in county
Present and native in county; not rare
Not present in state
Present and native in county; rare
Species extirpated (historic)
State or county listed as noxious
Present in state; exotic

This map shows the native and introduced (adventive) range of this species. Given appropriate habitat and climate, native plants can be grown outside their range.

5 Questions asked on Agastache foeniculum

Are these sun or shade?
We list "SUN EXPOSURE" in the "DETAILS" box on our website. Anise Hyssop prefers Full - Partial sun.
How aggressive is this plant?
Hi Julie. It is not aggressive. It is more like a short-lived perennial; parent plants will not persist for more than a few years. But, it is a very good self-seeder. If you don't want the seedlings in your garden, they are very easy to ID and remove. Note, the Range Map on Anise Hyssop - it is a very northern native, so this is our experience here in SE MN.
I have heard that some anise hyssop can lean over. Does this phenotype do that? Also, I have some asters that fall over a lot. I’d like to plant something in front of them to help prop them up. Could you suggest some plants that are sturdy or dense enough to prop up a 3 foot tall aster (and/or anise hyssop), in dappled shade in St. Paul, Minnesota? The location is a narrow bed in a retaining wall along the sidewalk, so something a little shorter than the aster, that can fit into the 12” or so in front of the aster, and somewhat ornamental would be nice.
We like using grasses as structure to help hold up "floppy" plants. Little Bluestem or Prairie Dropseed could be good options. Often in garden settings, plants expereince low competition as well as high nutrient and water availablilty. This can lead to individuals being more "floppy" than they would appear if grown in "crappy soils" in a diverse planting. We don't carry any cultivars, so there is a lot of genetic diversity present in our Anise Hyssop seed.. some individuals might have naturally occurring differences in growth habit, but its hard to predict!
Do you think there's any correlation between how a seed is dispersed and how deeply it should be planted? In other words, those seeds that are wind-dispersed (asters, Joe Pye etc.) - should they be left on the surface when planted, ia if they had just landed there? How do we know whether to cover with soil or leave exposed? Thank you for our wonder website full of great information.
Great question! Our general rule of thumb is do not plant a seed any deeper than it is wide. It is recommended that seeds be surface sown because the freeze/thaw cycles of the seasons changing will bring those seeds into the soil where they need to be to germinate. You will note the germination code ‘D’ outlining that the seeds are very small and should be surface sown to get ample light in the Spring. Sometimes if these tiny seeds are buried under the soil, they will not receive enough light to germinate and lay dormant.
Will the potted plants you sell reach full size in the first season?
Our potted greenhouse plants are in their first year of growth. In this stage of their life cycle, native perennials first develop their roots before exerting energy into blossoming. It is not likely for these species to reach full height or bloom in their first year, but they do have a huge timeline advantage on plants that were overwintered and just sprouting in the Spring from seed. We do guarantee these potted plants to establish in their first year after planting so long as they are in an area that matches their growing requirements and not in containers.

Seed

Growing your own plants from seed is the most economical way to add natives to your home. Before you get started, one of the most important things to know about the seeds of wild plants is that many have built-in dormancy mechanisms that prevent the seed from germinating. In nature, this prevents a population of plants from germinating all at once, before killing frosts, or in times of drought. To propagate native plants, a gardener must break this dormancy before seed will grow.

Each species is different, so be sure to check the GERMINATION CODE listed on the website, in the catalog, or on your seed packet. Then, follow the GERMINATION INSTRUCTIONS prior to planting. Some species don't need any pre-treatment to germinate, but some species have dormancy mechanisms that must be broken before the seed will germinate. Some dormancy can be broken in a few minutes, but some species take months or even years.

Seed dormancy can be broken artificially by prolonged refrigeration of damp seed in the process of cold/moist STRATIFICATION. A less complicated approach is to let nature handle the stratifying through a dormant seeding, sowing seeds on the surface of a weed-free site in late fall or winter. Tucked safely beneath the snow, seeds will be conditioned by weathering to make germination possible in subsequent growing seasons.

To learn more, read our BLOG: How to Germinate Native Seeds

Dormant Bare Root Plants

We dig plants when they are dormant from our outdoor beds and ship them April-May and October. Some species go dormant in the summer and we can ship them July/August. We are among the few still employing this production method, which is labor intensive but plant-friendly. They arrive to you dormant, with little to no top-growth (bare-root), packed in peat moss. They should be planted as soon as possible. Unlike greenhouse-grown plants, bare-root plants can be planted during cold weather or anytime the soil is not frozen. A root photo is included with each species to illustrate the optimal depth and orientation. Planting instructions/care are also included with each order.

Download: Installing Your Bare-Root Plants

Potted Plants

3-packs and trays of 32, 38, or 50 plants leave our Midwest greenhouses based on species readiness (being well-rooted for transit) and order date; Spring shipping is typically early May through June, and Fall shipping is mid-August through September. Potted 3-packs and trays of 38 plugs are started from seed in the winter so are typically 3-4 months old when they ship. Trays of 32/50 plugs are usually overwintered so are 1 year old. Plant tray cells are approximately 2” wide x 5” deep in the trays of 38 and 50, and 2.5" wide x 3.5" deep in the 3-packs and trays of 32; ideal for deep-rooted natives. Full-color tags and planting & care instructions are included with each order.

Download: Planting and Care of Potted Plants

*PLEASE NOTE: we are a mail order nursery and have no retail facilities, but you may pick up your order if prior arrangements are made. Pick up orders are subject to **MN Sales Tax.

Shipping & Handling Charges

SEED $100.00 and under: $5.00
Retail SEED orders over $100.00 ship free!

Custom seed mixes or discounted seed sales over $100, add 5% of the total seed cost
(for orders over $1,000 a package signature may be required)

BARE ROOT and POTTED PLANTS $50.00 and under: $9.00
over $50.00: 18% of the total plant cost. (For orders over $1,000 a package signature may be required.)

TOOLS and BOOKS have the shipping fee included in the cost of the product (within the contiguous US).

**We are required to collect state sales tax in certain states. Your state's eligibility and % will be calculated at checkout. MN State Sales Tax of 7.375% is applied for orders picked up at our MN location. Shipping & handling charges are also subject to the sales tax.

Shipping Season

SEED, TOOLS and BOOKS are sent year-round. Most orders ship within 1-3 business days.

BARE ROOT PLANTS are shipped during optimal transplanting time: Spring (April-May) and Fall (Oct). Some ephemeral species are also available for summer shipping. Since our plants are field-grown, Nature sets the schedule each year as to when our season will begin and end. We fill all orders, on a first-come, first-serve basis, to the best of our ability depending on weather conditions beyond our control.

POTTED PLANTS (Trays of 32/38/50 plugs and 3-packs) typically begin shipping early May and go into June; shipping time is heavily dependent on all the species in your order being well-rooted. If winter-spring greenhouse growing conditions are favorable and all species are well-rooted at once, then we ship by order date (first come, first serve). We are a Midwest greenhouse, and due to the challenges of getting all the species in the Mix & Match and Pre-Designed Garden Kits transit-ready at the same time, we typically can't ship before early May. Earlier shipment requests will be considered on a case-by-case basis.

*We are unable to ship PLANTS (bare root or potted) outside the contiguous US or to CALIFORNIA due to regulations.

Delivery

We ship using USPS, UPS and Spee Dee. UPS and Spee Dee are often used for expediting plant orders; they will not deliver to Post Office Box numbers, so please also include your street address if ordering plants. We send tracking numbers to your email address so please include it when you order.

FOR MORE DETAILED SHIPPING INFORMATION, INCLUDING CANADA SHIPPING RATES (SEED ONLY), PLEASE SEE 'SHIPPING' AT THE FOOTER OF THIS WEBSITE.

Details

Seeds/Packet
1,000
Seeds/Ounce
80,000
Germination Code
C(30)
D
Life Cycle
Perennial
Sun Exposure
Full, Partial
Soil Moisture
Medium, Medium-Dry
Height
3 feet
Bloom Time
June, July, August, September
Bloom Color
Purple
Advantages
Pollinator Favorite: butterflies, moths, bees, wasps, beetles
Bird Favorite: seeds, insects, fruit, nectar, nesting, perch
Deer Resistant
Highly recommended for home landscaping
USDA Zones
3-6
Plant Spacing
12-16"
Catalog Code
AGA02F