Agastache foeniculum
Plant species in the mint family
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Description
Growing from a taproot, the perennial plant grows to 0.6–1.2 metres (2–4 feet) in height, in a clumplike, upright shape. The leaves have an oval, toothed shape with a white tint underneath.
The plant blooms in June to September with bright lavender flowers that become more colorful near the tip. One plant may produce upwards of 90,000 individual flowers. They appear in showy verticillasters or false whorls, occasionally branching at the apex.
Similar species
A. foeniculum is commonly confused with A. rugosa (which is sometimes sold as A. foeniculum) as well as A. scrophulariifolia. Anise hyssop is in the same family as hyssop (the mint family Lamiaceae), but they are not closely related. Hyssop (Hyssopus) is a genus of about 10–12 species of herbaceous or semi-woody plants native from the east Mediterranean to central Asia.
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Distribution and habitat
The plant is native to much of north-central and northern North America, notably the Great Plains and other prairies.
Ecology
The species is tolerant of deer and drought, and attracts various potential pollinators, including hummingbirds, butterflies, bumblebees, honey bees, carpenter bees, and night-flying moths. Honey bees make a light fragrant honey from the flower's nectar. The plant is considered one of the premier species for feeding pollinators. The 1969 edition of the Rodale's Encyclopedia of Organic Gardening claims that one acre of the species can support 100 honey-bee hives, the flowers blooming for a very long season, often from June until frost and during the time it blooms, one can see bees on the flowers from the morning until dusk. The many flowers of the plant provide forage for bees, butterflies and hummingbirds.
Uses
The plant was used medicinally by the Cree, Cheyenne, and Ojibwa peoples to treat fevers, respiratory issues, and burns. The soft, anise-scented leaves are used as a seasoning, as a tea, in potpourri, and can be crumbled in salad.