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'Black Adder' Giant Hyssop

Agastache (ag-ah-STA-kee)

Family: Lamiaceae Unknown Herbaceous (3-15 ft)

'Black Adder' giant hyssop is a hybrid cultivar cross between A. rugosa and A. foeniculum in the mint family (Lamiaceae). This plant grows 2-3 feet tall and wide in well-drained soil in full sun to light shade. Good drainage is essential as they will not survive a winter in wet clay soils. They are drought tolerant once established. Use a container or raised bed if needed to provide better drainage. The dense spikes of reddish-purple flowers will add a vertical accent to the garden and attract bees, butterflies and hummingbirds. Deadhead to prolong blooming. The leaves are aromatic and have a mint smell when crushed. Use this plant in the border, in groups or in naturalized areas. Use in a butterflygarden, pollinator garden or rock garden. Problems : Crown rot can occur in wet soils. No significant problems. Watch for Spider mites, thrips, aphids, whitefly, and slugs. More information on Agastache .

Source: NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox ↗ NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox, 50 attributes.

How it fits the guild

Guild layer 4 - Herbaceous (3-15 ft) Optimal soil pH Neutral (6.0-8.0)
See companions & conflicts ↓

Companions & Conflicts

Curated pairwise relationships between this plant and others in the library — who feeds whom, who competes, who confuses the pests. Green reads as a good pairing, red as one to avoid.

No curated interactions recorded for this species yet.

Also noted by NC State

Related species the NC State Plant Toolbox flags for this plant — look-alikes to tell apart, and plants that play a similar role in a planting. Ones we carry in the library are linked.

Fills a similar niche Agastache 'Astello Indigo' Dianthus caryophyllus Echinacea purpurea PowWow® Wild Berry 'PAS702917'

Full plant profile

Growing Conditions
Plant type
Herbaceous Perennial; Perennial
Life cycle
Perennial
USDA zones
6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b, 9a, 9b
Light
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day) | Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
Soil texture
Clay; Loam (Silt); Sand; Shallow Rocky
Soil pH
Neutral (6.0-8.0)
Soil drainage
Good Drainage | Moist | Occasionally Dry
Available space
12 inches-3 feet
NC region
Coastal; Mountains; Piedmont
Mature size
Height: 2 ft. 0 in. - 3 ft. 0 in. | Width: 2 ft. 0 in. - 3 ft. 0 in.
Growth rate
Medium
Maintenance
Low
Canopy layer
4 - Herbaceous (3-15 ft)
Form & Appearance
Habit / form
Clumping; Erect
Texture
Medium
Leaf color
Blue; Green
Leaf type
Simple
Leaf arrangement
Opposite
Leaf shape
Lanceolate; Ovate
Leaf margin
Serrate
Leaf value
Fragrant
Hairs present
No
Leaf detail
Blue-green lance to ovate shaped leaves with serrated margins
Flower color
Purple/Lavender; Red/Burgundy
Flower value
Long Bloom Season; Long-lasting; Showy
Flower form
Spike
Flower shape
Lipped; Tubular
Flower size
< 1 inch
Flower detail
2-lipped tubular reddish-purple flowers are densely packed on a 6-8 inch long terminal spike from early summer to fall
Bloom time
Fall; Summer
Fruit type
Capsule
Stem color
Green
Stem detail
Square green stems
Wildlife & Ecology
Native status
Unknown
Attracts
Bees; Butterflies; Hummingbirds
Food & Medicine
Fruit type
Capsule
Landscape Use
Landscape location
Container; Naturalized Area; Patio
Landscape theme
Butterfly Garden; Cottage Garden; Cutting Garden; Drought Tolerant Garden; Pollinator Garden
Design feature
Border
Garden tags
#HS302 #long bloom time #showy flowers #border planting #drought tolerant #fragrant leaves #hummingbird friendly #purple flowers #deer resistant #pollinator plant #full sun tolerant #container plant #cutting garden #rabbit resistant
Problems & Resistance
Resistant to
Deer; Drought; Rabbits
Particularly resistant to
Deer and rabbit resistant

Planted at Hunnicutt

Nobody’s planted this one yet.