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Hummingbird Mint
Agastache
Hummingbird Mint (Agastache) is one of our favorite perennials; it is a pollinator magnet. We plant it in our vegetable garden to attract pollinators. If you add it to your garden, just be aware that it spreads quickly and can take over an area.
Agastache is a genus of about 20 aromatic perennials in the mint family. All but one are native to North America, many of them to the dry mountains of the Southwest and Mexico; the exception is Korean mint (Agastache rugosa) from East Asia. Plants form upright clumps 1½ to 4 feet tall, with spikes of small tubular flowers from midsummer until frost. Depending on the species, the leaves smell of licorice, mint or even bubblegum. Most spread by self-sown seedlings rather than by runners, so cutting spikes before the seed ripens keeps them in bounds.
Choosing a hummingbird mint
| Group | Flower colors | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Anise hyssop (A. foeniculum), Korean mint (A. rugosa) and their hybrids, such as 'Blue Fortune' | Blue to purple | Hardiest (anise hyssop to zone 3), fine in ordinary garden soil, and mostly visited by bees |
| Southwestern species (A. rupestris, A. aurantiaca, A. cana) and their hybrids, such as the Kudos series | Orange, coral, pink, red | The best for hummingbirds. Need sharp drainage; most are rated to zone 5 or 6 |
Soil and water
Drainage decides whether hummingbird mint lives or dies. Sandy, gravelly or loamy soil is ideal. In heavy clay, mix in grit or gravel and plant on a slope, a mound or a raised bed. The southwestern types do best in lean soil; rich soil and nitrogen fertilizer make them floppy and short-lived. A neutral to slightly alkaline pH (about 6.5 to 7.5) suits them.
Water regularly the first season while roots establish. After that, water only in long dry spells; established plants are drought tolerant and soggy soil causes root rot.
Getting it through winter
Most plants are lost in winter, to wet soil rather than cold. A few habits help:
- Plant in spring or early summer, not fall, so the roots are established before winter.
- Don't cut the plants back in fall. Leave the stems standing until spring; plants overwinter better with them.
- Mulch with gravel, not wood chips or bark, which hold moisture against the crown.
- Move container plants to a sheltered, unheated spot such as a garage during hard freezes, and keep the soil on the dry side.
Even with good care, many hummingbird mints are short-lived, often three or four years. Self-sown seedlings of the species replace them; hybrids rarely come true from seed.
Care through the season
- Light: full sun, at least 6 to 8 hours a day.
- Spacing: 12 to 18 inches apart; 18 to 24 inches for the larger types.
- Deadheading: snip off faded spikes to encourage new ones. Leave the late-season heads for goldfinches.
- Pruning: I prune my hummingbird mint in early spring by cutting back the stems to promote healthy new growth and maintain a tidy appearance. Wait until new shoots show at the base before cutting.
- Feeding: a thin layer of compost in spring is plenty. Avoid high-nitrogen fertilizers.
- Problems: few pests. Powdery mildew can appear in humid weather on crowded plants, and root rot in wet soil. Deer and rabbits usually avoid the aromatic leaves.
Propagation
- Seed: sow species indoors 6 to 8 weeks before your last frost date, barely covering the seed, and transplant after frost (see our zip code lookup for your dates).
- Cuttings: softwood cuttings taken in late spring or early summer root easily and are the way to multiply hybrids.
- Division: divide older clumps in spring.
Hummingbirds go for the orange, coral and pink types; bees and butterflies visit them all. A different low-growing plant sold as Marian Sampson hummingbird mint is actually a Monardella, not an Agastache.