Agastache 'Blue Fortune'

Agastache 'Blue Fortune': Smells Like Licorice, Blooms Like Crazy

Fat violet-blue bottlebrushes over leaves that smell like licorice when you brush past. 'Blue Fortune' is a pollinator magnet with the patience of a saint. THE BUTTERFLIES ARE CASHING IN.

Plant Characteristics:

• Botanical Name: Agastache 'Blue Fortune' (A. foeniculum × A. rugosa)
• Common Name: Anise Hyssop
• Height: 60–90 cm (2–3 ft)
• Spread: 45–60 cm (18–24 in)
• Flowers: Dense, bottlebrush-like spikes of small violet-blue flowers
• Bloom Time: Midsummer to early fall (July to September)
• Foliage: Green, toothed leaves with a sweet anise scent when crushed
• Features: Fragrant foliage, RHS Award of Garden Merit

Where to Plant: Put it in the middle of a sunny border, where the upright spikes add height without taking over. It suits prairie-style and pollinator plantings and sits happily beside an herb garden. Leave the flower heads standing in fall, since they hold their shape into winter.

Companion Plants: Geum 'Koi' puts orange flowers at the front from late spring to early fall. Asclepias 'Hello Yellow' brings bright yellow flowers from June to August, a classic partner for blue. Aster 'Pink Crush' takes over in September and October once the agastache winds down. Plant them together in full sun.

Plant Care: Plant in full sun in average to lean, well-drained soil. Water regularly through the first season, then only during long dry spells. Skip the fertilizer, which only makes the stems floppy. Wet winter soil is the real enemy, so heavy clay needs grit or compost worked in, or a slightly raised spot. Leave the stems up over winter to protect the crown, then cut them back in spring once new growth appears. Agastache doesn't love being divided. If a clump starts to fade after several years, replace it rather than splitting it.

History: 'Blue Fortune' is a cross between Agastache foeniculum, the anise hyssop native to the prairies and parts of Ontario, and its Korean cousin Agastache rugosa. It was selected by Gert Fortgens at Arboretum Trompenburg in Rotterdam, the Netherlands, and has earned the RHS Award of Garden Merit.

Final Thoughts: Plant it in sun, skip the fussing and watch the bees, butterflies and hummingbirds line up for a payout. FORTUNE FAVOURS THE GARDENER WHO BUYS THREE.