Agastache 'Blue Fortune'

Agastache 'Blue Fortune': A Proven Performer with Soothing Colour

Agastache 'Blue Fortune' is a dependable summer staple, celebrated for its upright form, anise-scented foliage, and hazy, lavender-blue flower spikes that bloom for weeks on end. From midsummer through early fall, it brings gentle vertical movement and subtle colour to full-sun borders while drawing in bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds in abundance. Robust, mildew-resistant, and low maintenance, 'Blue Fortune' is a reliable choice for prairie-style designs, pollinator gardens, and sunny perennial beds where longevity and ease are essential.

Plant Characteristics:

• Height: 90–120 cm
• Spread: 60–75 cm, forming a sturdy, upright clump
• Flower Colour: Soft lavender-blue spikes with a powdery, dusky appearance
• Flowering Period: Midsummer through early fall
• Foliage: Green, toothed, licorice-scented leaves; attractive and deer resistant
• Sunlight Requirements: Full sun (minimum 6 hours); tolerates part sun
• Soil Requirements: Well-drained soil; performs well in sandy, gravelly, or average garden soils

Uses and Benefits: 'Blue Fortune' brings reliable colour and pollinator activity to the garden just as summer peaks. Its aromatic foliage deters deer, while its sturdy stems and tidy growth habit keep it looking fresh all season. Excellent in mixed perennial beds, mass plantings, or cut flower gardens, it supports a wide array of pollinators and performs well under dry, sunny conditions. This is a long-blooming workhorse for gardeners who value both beauty and biodiversity.

Companion Plants: Pair 'Blue Fortune' with Echinacea 'PowWow White' for a cooling contrast that supports pollinators through late summer. Add Achillea 'Sassy Summer Lemon' for cheerful yellow umbels and soft texture that play off the agastache’s vertical lines. Complete the design with Panicum virgatum 'Northwind', whose upright, steel-blue blades add structure and dynamic movement to this pollinator-rich, drought-tolerant planting.

Care Instructions: Water consistently during the first growing season to establish strong roots. Once established, 'Blue Fortune' is drought tolerant and thrives with minimal maintenance. Deadheading is optional and may encourage a longer bloom time. Cut back stems in late fall or early spring. Avoid heavy, waterlogged soils and excessive fertilization to prevent floppy growth.

History: A cross between Agastache rugosa and Agastache foeniculum, 'Blue Fortune' was selected for its vigour, mildew resistance, and long bloom period. It combines the pollinator appeal and licorice fragrance of its parent species with a stronger garden presence. Now widely grown across North America and Europe, it’s considered one of the most reliable and garden-worthy agastache cultivars available.

Final Thoughts: Agastache 'Blue Fortune' is a graceful, hard-working perennial that brings together fragrance, beauty, and ecological benefit in one low-maintenance package. Whether used as a focal point or woven into a larger planting scheme, its soft blue tones and aromatic foliage ensure it earns its keep all season long.