Gardening for Health

The Admirable Anise Hyssop 

By Maria Price 

 Anise hyssop is neither anise or hyssop. Its botanical name is Agastache foeniculum and it is a native plant that grows in dry woodlands and prairies from North Dakota to Kansas, and west to Colorado. With lovely purple-blue spikes that are fragrant like anise, it blooms from July until the end of the growing season.  

Agastache foeniculum derived its scientific name from its hay-like scent, then got its common name from its anise-like scent, although this scent is more closely associated with basil or French tarragon. Alternate common names are blue giant hyssop, fennel giant hyssop or fragrant giant hyssop.  

Anise hyssop is a wonderful pollinator attractor. Bees and butterflies are the main visitors to fragrant anise hyssop. As bees probe the flower, pollen from the anthers held in the upper lip is deposited on their head or thorax. A disc at the base of the flower secretes nectar. Look for several types of butterflies and moths sampling nectar on the flowers. As bees probe the flowers, pollen from the anthers located in the upper lip is deposited onto their head. When visiting subsequent flowers, pollen is transferred to receptive stigmas also located in the upper lip. Long-horned bees, bumble bees, small resin bees, leafcutter bees, bee flies and soldier beetles are all attracted to anise hyssop. Butterflies probe the flowers for nectar. Silver spotted skippers, Peck’s skipper butterflies and the great spangled fritillary all love anise hyssop’s nectar. 

The flowers can be stripped from the stem and tossed into a salad for a light anise flavor and pretty violet color. The leaves can be made into a nice anise-flavored tea. Use about 4 to 5 leaves to 1 cup of boiling water. Allow to infuse for about 10 minutes. Sweeten it with a little organic sugar or honey. 

It usually grows 2 to 3 feet tall and is great in the back of the flower border. It is hardy in zones 5 to 9. Anise hyssop does not perform well as far south as zone 9 because of the summer heat. The young broad dark green leaves are often tinted purple especially in cool weather; the newly emerged leaves in spring are usually the medium shade of purple that goes well with spring bulbs.  

It requires full sun and good drainage. It will tolerate some shade. Cut it back to about one foot in the spring to allow for more branching. The flowers make great cut flowers and also dry well for use in arrangements or wreaths.